The Price of Tomorrow, pt 1
by CaedKunn
Summary: Superman enlists the help of Batman and Cyborg for a secret project, while three beings arrive from a mysterious destination. Chat on Twitter @caedkunn for comics, sports, star wars stuff, cool pics of abandoned buildings, and other silly stuff
1. Chapter 1

JUSTICE LEAGUE

PART 1

**New York City**

Jose stumbled in and out of the long shadows cast by the sky risers upon the dark alley. Tipping his head back, he brings the bottle to his wide open mouth, hoping for one last drop. That's all he wants, one last drop, but it doesn't come. He tries again and again, swerving back and forth, narrowly missing garbage cans, empty crates, and hanging ladders. He tries until his feet finally loose their balance, and he crashes face first into a pile of garbage bags.

The smell is stale and putrid, but Jose is far too gone to notice. He feels his body relax against the bags, which feel soft and inviting. He closes his eyes, hoping the world will stop spinning soon. Over and under, sideways and which ways, the world spins so wildly, that he thinks his eyes are playing tricks on him when the shadows are suddenly whisked away by a bright light.

It rips through the darkness, illuminating the empty and desolate world of the alleyway in a bright flash before settling into a swirling mass. Jose's eyes grow wide and the world stops spinning as three figures emerge.

The first, a woman, clad in dark clothing fitting firmly against her body, steps through and lowers a large rifle slung over her shoulder. She jerks her head left, then right, before standing upright and saying, "All clear."

Another steps through, a man of medium build whose tight muscles show confidently through his dark clothing. "Checking atmospheric readings," he says while checking a device which Jose believes is an Ipad.

A third man emerges soon after the second; waving his hand in front of his face and crimping his lips and nose. "Phew," he says. "Did it always smell this bad?" He's thinner than the other, with a thick red beard which accentuates his bald head.

"Quiet," the woman says, still moving her eyes left then right across the alley. Jose remains perfectly still, too terrified to move, or even breath as the woman presses a button on a device strapped to her wrist. The swirling light behind them suddenly snaps away, and darkness settles upon the alley once more.

Jose's mind began to race. Where they cops? Military? Maybe aliens; the world seemed to have plenty of those these days. He had never seen soldiers or cops wearing garments and carrying weapons such as those the three visitors carried. But whoever they were, he knew enough to guess that if they came from a swirling portal of light, they were dangerous.

"Atmospheric readings are consistent with year 2013," said the man with broad shoulders. "With weather patterns indicating sometime near the mid year…"

"Good enough," the thin man said impatiently. "Where are they?"

The woman slung her weapon over her shoulder, the reached into her a fold within her garments. Jose, expected her to withdraw another high tech gadget, nearly breathed a sigh of relief as her hand emerged carrying only a small leather bound book. Like a journal.

It looked extremely old, and worn. She unbound it carefully, and withdrew what looked like an ordinary pencil from the binding. Flipping through several pages, she settled on one near the middle.

"Target one, Central City," she said. "Location…"

"I remember," said the one with broad shoulders as he put his I-pad looking device back in his garments.

"Then I shouldn't have to remind you too stick to the plan," she said, sternly. "Your secondary target is in Metropolis. Is any of this going to be difficult for you?"

Jose got the impression this was a woman who gave orders with a firm first, and didn't take much crap from anyone. She stared at the man with the broad shoulders intently. He answered her glare with one of his own, before nodding slowly. The bald man smirked.

"Target two," she continued, turning a page in her journal. "Eastern coastal cities. I'll find a suitable target once I get there."

"Going to bait her out, eh," the bald man said.

"If it comes to that, yes," the woman replied.

"Better hope none of the others come out to play," said the bald man.

"If we all stick to the plan they should be plenty pre-occupy," she answered dryly.

The bald man smiled slyly again before asking, slyly, "Target three?"

The woman turned to another page. Jose saw her face become reserved, and her shoulders slouch slightly. "Washington DC," she said hesitantly.

The bald man laughed slightly. "Ah, the American capital huh. I'll be sure to take plenty of, what did they call them, pictures?"

"This isn't a time for joking," the broad shouldered one said.

The bald man sighed. "Is it ever time for joking?"

"Let's just move out," the woman said. "Move forward on your primary targets. Then, we should see each other again in the arctic." Her eyes moved between them both. "Remember why we're here, and what's at stake. Good luck to both of you."

"Good luck," said the broad shouldered man.

The bald man snickered. "Almost brought a tear to my eye," he said. The woman glared at him. "Alright, alright," he said quickly, raising his hands defensively. "Look, in all seriousness, good luck. No one wants this too succeed more than me."

"Then lets stop wasting time and move out," said the broad shouldered man.

Relief washed over Jose. They hadn't seen him, and they were leaving. He didn't care who they were, or what they were doing here. He only wanted them to leave, then he could go find another bottle. He'd find another alley then, one where giant portals of light didn't appear, and live out the rest of his stupor. This hadnothing to do with him, so he'd just keep quiet and forget he ever saw anything.

The three began to fiddle with their garments. Checking other machines and gadgets he couldn't recognize. Then, they began to leave, when the broad shouldered one stopped.

"Wait," he said. The others stopped beside him. "Someone's here."

Jose's heart froze.

The broad shouldered one kept looking at the gadget on his wrist, turning slowly. Turning, turning, until he was facing the pile of bags Jose had fallen into. "There," he said pointing directly towards him.

He was yanked from the bags, then lying face down on the ground a moment later with a boot pressing down on his back. It had in a flash, so fast his intoxicated mind couldn't process it. He began to feel pain radiating from his ribs and back. He gagged as his stomach turned, threatening to loose the alcohol he had downed tonight. When he finally gathered enough of his wits to look up, he found himself staring at the end of a hollow barrel. Even though it was a design that looked completely foreign and alien, it was unmistakably a gun of some kind.

"Who are you?!" demanded the woman.

The bald man was the one who held him with his boot, with his own gun pressed against the back of Jose's head. The woman stood in front of him, and it was the barrel of her rifle he was staring down. The broad shouldered one stood behind them.

"Who are you!" the woman repeated, loudly, threateningly, but careful not to yell.

"He's just a bum," said the broad shouldered man, calmly. "I can smell the alcohol on him."

"He heard everything we said," the bald man said.

"He's drunk," said the broad shouldered man.

"We have our orders," the woman said solemnly.

"He's not a threat to us," the broad shouldered man said. "Just let him go."

"I'm not sure we can risk that?" the woman said. "We know how paranoid these people are. And there's too much at stake to leave any chances."

The broad shouldered man countered. "Look at him, nobody would believe a word a man like this would say. They'd just excuse it as the ramblings of a crazy homeless person."

"But all it takes is one person to believe, and we'll be hunted by every resource they have," the woman said.

"Listen to yourself," the broad shouldered man said. "He's human, he's on our side…"

"Oh please, we don't have time for this," the bald man shouted over the other two. Jose's legs were shaking and his arms felt like pins and needles. There was a ringing in his ear, muting their voices as they argued. He tried to speak, but his words were too slurred for even him to understand them.

"Here, I'll make it easy," the bald man said.

Jose heard a soft whine, followed by a bright light. Then, he heard the bald man squeeze the trigger before everything went dark, and he couldn't feel anything anymore.

**The Arctic**

I was only a teenager when most of powers began to appear. Super speed, super strength, heat vision, icy breath, and super hearing. This might seem like every little boy's dream, but it in truth, it was a mostly a burden. Before I could control them, they appeared at the most random, and often inappropriate and awkward moments. The most difficult of these being my super hearing.

One moment, I would hear nothing more than any other human would hear. The wind rustling through the cornfields, the birds chirping softly in the trees, cars driving along the dirt roads somewhere in the distance. Most people who've heard them their whole life, like I had, hardly noticed them.

But in the next moment, I would hear everything. Everything from miles around. Every footstep, door slammed, shout and whisper. All at once, blaring in my ears and throughout my mind, drowning in the everyday sounds of the world.

The episodes would pass, and the sounds of the world would return to normal. But until they did, it was miserable. With my hands over my ears, I would run through the fields, hoping to outrun the noises. I would run and run for miles, as far away from everything as I could, hoping the noise would dim in the slightest. I was never sure how far I had run, but when the noise had finally dimmed enough, I would be in the middle of nowhere, in solitude, and I could wait in peace until the super hearing went away.

I think that's why I choose the Artic for my Fortress of Solitude. Its farther away from civilization than anywhere else on planet Earth. And when I'm here, in my solitude, I don't have to hear anything.

Dawn is coming. It comes at a time a day when the rest of the world was is at its busiest. But in the artic, dawn, dusk, and twilight are all the same; still, silent, and peaceful.

I've kept this place a secret from the rest of the world, until recently, when H'el broke into my fortress, exposing it to the rest of the world. Today however, I'm intentionally breaking my peace and solitude. I've invited visitors, and they should be here soon.

At the coordinates I gave them, at the time I requested, the air begins to stir. It's followed a loud boom moments later. It echoes throughout the glaciers, caves, and mountains of the artic, and a pillar of smoke rises from it origin. The smoke begins to clear moments later, and two familiar figures emerge.

"Bruce, Vic. Thank you for coming."

"Sheesh Superman, its reading -60 degrees on my instruments," Cyborg said. "One thing I don't miss, is the cold. I hate to be rude, but if I don't get out of the cold soon my circuits could freeze."

"We'll be out of the cold soon," I say. "I'm sure your circuits won't take too much damage."

"Hey I'm not complaining. The constant flow of information I receive is slowing down up here. Perhaps I can finally get some peace and quiet. But how are you handling it Batman?"

Bruce's eyes are hidden beneath his cowl, but I can feel his stare. No doubt, he's trying to figure out why I invited them here. Just the two of them, and not the rest of the Justice League. I expect no less. He is Batman after all, and he likes to be prepared for everything before walking into it. I'm never sure if I should be reassured or suspicious by this. Either way, its why I chose him. Why I need him.

"Thermal heaters," he says. "But they won't last long in these temperatures. We should probably get going."

I meet his stare, and nod. "I know time is valuable to both of you. So if you'll just follow me."

We don't have to go far, only over a small ice dune. I gave them the coordinates a little to the south, in case somehow, someway, someone had actually hacked into the Watchtowers computers systems. The chances of this are slim to none, but when it comes to the Fortress, I wanted to prepare for the worst. I wonder if Bruce is rubbing off on me.

As e reach the summit of the ice dune, the Fortress of Solitude comes into view, and I hear Cyborg let out a long and admiring whistle. I feel myself grin, and why not? The Fortress is made entirely of crystals. No, not made, grown. Grown from advanced Kryptonian technology my father, Jor-el, sent with me to Earth. The structure rests within the middle of an artic glacier, casting a long and vast shadow which looms over us as we approach the door.

"I know I've seen it before, but that was during a battle," Vic says. "Didn't really get to see it then. Now though, and I can't think of what to say." _(See Superman 13-18, He'l on Earth)_

"Well I hope you'll find this visit a little more…hospitable," I say, a little pride slipping into my voice.

"Before He'l's appearance you never brought anyone here, and most of the world didn't know of its existence," Batman says.

"And I would have kept it that way if I could have helped it," I reply, dryly.

Inside, I lead them through the vast chambers and long hallways. Past the menagerie, and through the anti-chambers. Advanced alien technology is everywhere you look. Along the walls, within the floors, mounted on the ceilings, resting on display as though we were in a museum or monument. Some are familiar looking, making it easy to guess what their function is. Other's are more complicated, and I haven't been able to determine what they're used for.

I explain each device as we pass them; some more thoroughly than others. Cyborg is like a kid in a candy store, his human eye wide and eager, listening to every detail and no doubt filing it away in his hard drives for the future.

Once again, I find myself being careful. I give only mundane and non-threatening information. Cyborg can interface with every computer on the planet, giving him access to any sort data he wants, at any time wants, with a mere thought. This could be helpful, which is why I choose him. But it also has risks.

If Cyborg can access any computer on the planet, then its also possible his mind could be accessed from any computer on the planet. High unlikely, yes again. But still possible, and I need to be prepared for the worst possible scenario.

Batman, on the other hand, takes long and penetrating looks. No doubt memorizing every detail he can; every curve and twist, corner and straight edge, shape and models. Even the layouts of buttons and switches. Again, all expected.

Gotham city is one of the darkest and corrupt places on Earth; and Batman calls it home. To square off against the likes of Hush, The Court of Owls, and the Joker requires him to think in the most extreme ways. Constantly striving to out think his opponents, anticipate their next moves, learn all he can about their plans and motives, from every angle. In other words, he has to know every possible outcome of any given threat expecting the worst of them to happen, then prepare for it.

It's why I choose him.

The largest anti-chamber within the Fortress of Solitude is located on its lowest level. Here is where I keep the most precious and sentimental pieces I have collected or confiscated over the years. Weapons from the farthest reaches of the Universe, machines that could do things even the greatest science fiction authors on the planets could hardly imagine, and monuments to dying or lost civilizations.

In the center of the chamber is a statue of two figures, each extending an arm to support a large sphere reminiscent of a planet. I bring them before the statue, allowing them to be part of a ritual I perform every time I come here.

"Bruce, Vic, allow me to introduce you to Lara and Jor-el, of the House of El, of Krypton."

Craning their necks so they can see the faces of the two statues, they stare in silence. "Whoa," Cyborg says, a moment later. "Those were your parents?"

I nod. "I found this statue when Brainiac first came to Earth," I say. "It was in his ship. The ship I used as my first fortress after defeating him. (See Action Comics 8) When I found the device from my father which allowed me to build my arctic fortress, I moved them here, along with everything else from Brainiac's ship."

"It seems you know more about Krypton than anyone else on Earth," Batman says.

"Shouldn't I?" I reply. "I am one of the last few Kryptonian's in the galaxy.

"This place is just too cool," Vic says. "It's like Disney land for robots."

"Yes, or a mausoleum," Batman says. " A lot of people would do almost anything to find this place. Too see what kind of Technological advancements you have, but have not shared with the rest of the world. "

He speaks simply, always has, but some how finds a way to hit deep. Regardless, I keep my composure, and crack a half smile. "You're giving me too much credit Bruce," I said. "I've hardly scratched the surface in understanding any of the technology or weapons here. I may be from Krypton, but I was raised on Earth. Most of what I know about technology I learned at Smallville high and Metropolis Junior College. I've picked up some things along the way, but most of it is still way beyond me. What you see here is as alien to me as I am to Earth."

"So then why are we here now?" Vic asked. "You've never brought anyone here before?"

"Good question," Batman adds. "You've kept the Fortress of Solitude a secret, even from the Justice League. We only found out when you needed us."

Batman and I hold our gazes. Outwardly, I always do well keeping a strong front, hiding my inner thoughts. I've had lots of practice. However, inside I feel weary. I've thought long and hard about this. I've thought of the benefits, and the dangers. The risks and rewards. And just when I feel I've come to a decision, I second guess myself. Even now, I'm still second guessing myself.

But I tell myself to hold firm, I've thought this through long and hard, and my plan will have several safe guards should anything go wrong. I want to do this. I have to do this.

"I brought you here because I trust you, both of you, and I need your help," I say. My eyes shift from one to the other. Cyborg looks at me curiously, and Batman is unreadable. He must have brought his noise dampening device because I can't even hear his heart beat to tell if he's excited, nervous, apprehensive, or suspicious. But I have their attention, and hopefully I'll have their help, and their trust. So here goes nothing.

"I want to restore Kandor."

**Washington DC**

**A.R.G.U.S. Headquarters**

"Colonel Trevor! Anthony Cartwright is on the line…"

"Tell him I'm out for the day," Colonel Trevor snaps as he pushes past his secretary towards his office.

"But sir…"

"I'm out!"

He doesn't hear what she says as she speaks quietly, and nervously, into the phone. Hastily, Colonel Trevor hastily opens his office door. He isn't in a good mood. He hardly ever is these days. Last night was another restless one. Tossing and turning in bed, unable to shut his mind off. Thinking about work, about Superhero's, about…

"Colonel Trevor, good to see you!"

His eyes, which had been hanging heavy, snapped open wide. Sitting behind his desk, dressed in a suit too expensive to afford on a typical government salary, looking at his computer, looking at the files he'd left open on his desk, and holding his phone, with a smug smile stretched firmly from ear to ear, was Anthony Cartwright.

"Your receptionist said you were out," Cartwright said while placing the phone back in its holster in a way meant to draw Trevor's attention to it. "I figured I knew where I could find you though. You're so heavily invested in your work these days."

"What do you want?" Trevor said, his knuckles turning white from squeezing his coffee cup.

"Good morning to you as well," Cartwright said, then continued on. "We both know the answer to that, though. Now you don't seem to be in the best of moods, so lets just get right to it. Are we a go for project Arctic Storm?"

"No," Colonel Trevor said. "And if that's all you wanted to know, then leave. I have a lot of work to do. You got in ok, so feel free to let yourself…"

"You know there's a lot of people questioning your judgment these days," Cartwright said. "Amanda Waller being the obvious…"

"Waller and I have an understanding," Trevor snapped. "And it's classified, so don't think you can go asking about that either." _(What's he talking about? See Justice League of America!)_

Cartwright held up his hands innocently. "Never crossed my mind. Nobody questions Waller's judgment. But yours…" he snapped his finger and winked "..well yours is just becoming regular water cooler gossip these days."

Trevor held his breath and felt his shoulders tense. It was an effort to resist the urge he felt to leap across the room and throw him out the window. Cartwright's expression softened though.

"Ok, I'm being a bit…rude," he said, insincerely. "You're dedicated to your work, everybody knows that. You were the liaison too the Justice League for close to five years. You were with them when they saved the world, time and time again. I'm sure you think of them as friends…even though they kicked you out."

"Yes, they requested someone else be their liaison to A.R.G.U.S. and for the good of the relationship, I stepped aside without a quarrel."

"Whose relationship?" Cartwright said, his smugness returning. "A.R.G.U.S. and the Justice League, or yours and Wonder Woman's?"

Trevor slammed his fist on his desk. Cartwright didn't flinch. "That's a private matter, but since it doesn't make a difference anymore, its over. It's been over for a long time…"

"Oh yes, we know," Cartwright said, picking up a file from the desk. It wasn't open, and Trevor didn't recognize it. "We know it's defiantly over, but the question is, do you?" Cartwright continued on before Trevor could say anything. "In case you didn't, here's proof."

He slid the file over the desk in front of Trevor, and opened it. Inside was a satellite picture. Enhanced in high definition, it was an over head shot showing two figures, standing, or actually flying, alone, and too close together to be merely talking. They were kissing, passionately. Trevor recognized the golden gauntlets, golden lasso, Amazonian fashioned tiara, and pitch black hair almost immediately. He also recognized the red cape and blue body armor.

His throat suddenly grew thick.

Cartwright closed the folder, but the image remained in Trevor's mind. "Loyalty is a good thing, everybody knows that," Cartwright said. "But loyalty can cloud judgment. Things are changing, Trevor. The honey moon between humans and meta-humans is over. Not every one who was a Superhero yesterday is one today. And for every supposed good guy that pops up, several bad guys seem to line up against them. It's getting more dangerous by the day out there, and who knows how much more dangerous tomorrow will be. Hell look at metropolis, home town of good ole blue. He fights a battle there every week against some freak and racks up hundreds of thousands of dollars in property damage. The Government has been trying to reimburse these people, after all its not their fault a so called superhero has to fight a so called super villain in their backyard. but its getting expensive and with the economy the way it is, and the national debt already at catastrophic levels, well, its hard to just let these guys operate unleashed all the time."

Despite himself, Trevor chuckles slightly. "If you think you can get Superman on a leash, good luck."

"Oh no," Cartwright said, seriously. "We know better than that. My point is this though. At some point, the Super hero's have to start giving back…"

"You mean protecting the public isn't giving back enough?"

"You call destroying half a city block every week protecting the public? We sure don't. But we also know we can't simply stop them. So we want something in return. Something that pays us back for all the damage and headaches they cause. You might even say they owe us."

"OWE YOU!" Trevor shouted. "Does wearing a suit cause your heads to be automatically shoved up your…"

"You know fully well what I'm talking about," Cartwright said, firmly. "Some of these hero's we've fostered aren't just highly skilled humans, but mystics, elemental avatars, vampires, the living dead, and Aliens from worlds with technology far more advanced than ours.

"They operate here, they live here, and we have fostered them without any resistance," Cartwright continued. "They also bring their baggage and leaving nothing but damage and destruction in their wakes. My people think its time we got a handle on this, and got something in return. Something that could benefit not only the United States, but the whole world. For the greater good, Steve. Only for the greater good."

Trevor realized his fists were clenched so hard, he'd lost circulation in them. He unclenched them, slowly, reeling from the pins and needles racing up and down his arm. He calmed his thoughts, and slowly leaned forward. Placing both hands on his desk to hold himself upright, his eyes met Cartwright's, and they glared at each other intently.

"I'm telling you right now," Trevor said, pointing a finger at Cartwright's chest. Cartwright remained still, his smug smile firmly in place. "I will never, repeat never, agree to any kind of mission such as Artic Storm. And I'll never allow the resources of A.R.G.U.S. to be used for such a mission either. I see where you're coming from, and yes I see how the greater good could be served. But you try to go about it this way, and you'll just screw not only yourself over, but the entire world."

Cartwright nodded once, his expression unchanged.

"Well said, Colonel," he said. "You're a man of honor, integrity, and principle. I admire that, it's so rare these days."

He gathered up his files and stood. After straightening his suit, he extended a hand. "Thank you for your time Colonel Trevor. I gave it my best shot to try and bring you in, but you look committed. So I won't waste your time any longer."

He held his hand out for a moment, but Colonel Trevor did not meet it. When that became obvious, Cartwright slowly reeled his hand in, but remained smiling.

He moved around the desk to leave, but just after he strode past the front of the desk, he turned and tossed one of his file folder's on the desk. It opened to the picture of Superman and Wonder Woman. "I'll just leave this here for you to think about.

Trevor clenched his teeth, but couldn't think of anything to say.

"Meh, I won't lie," Cartwright said as he opened the door. "It's a desperate attempt to get you to change your mind."

He closed the door softly, and Trevor could hear Cartwright wishing his secretary a wonderful day behind it.

Alone, Steve Trevor sat in his chair. Trying to avoid the picture, he buried his face in his hands. His eyes felt heavier than before, and his mind was spinning again. Spinning with thoughts about work, about Superhero's, about…her.

He clenched his teeth and felt his muscles tense as his arm lashed out. A can of pens and pencils, a stapler, a three hole punch, a phone, and all his files were tossed from his desk, crashing on the floor a moment later. The last to land was the picture, which floated listlessly through the air before resting on top of the pile.

"Damn it," he said, harshly under his breath. It shouldn't matter to him, it shouldn't bother him. It had been over for a long time, and who she spent her time with was none of his business.

But it did bother him. He couldn't say why exactly. Was it because he hadn't found someone to move on with? Or that she had seemingly so quickly? No, that wasn't it. It wasn't that simple. The truth spat at him as a disrespectful and cocky youth might.

She had moved on all right, moved on to someone better. How could he ever stack up against him? How could he ever compare to him? How could he ever hope to win her back, against him?

But this just made him see the truth. The truth he had been trying to deny ever since that day on the capital steps, then again in the hospital after she saved his life from David Graves (_see Justice League 12, the one with the kiss heard around the world:-o). _The truth was he still…

The phone rang, blaringly obnoxious, snapping him out of his thoughts. He moved to push the button that would send it voicemail, but stopped as his eye caught who it was from.

Instead of putting in on speaker, Trevor quickly picked up the phone. "Trevor here," he said,

"Colonel, we'd like to invite you down here to see something…interesting."

He practically ran from his office to the elevator, not even stopping to answer his secretary who wanted to know what she should say if anyone called. As the elevator closed, he shouted for her to hold all his calls. He didn't want anyone to know where he was.

The department of Tele-dimensional research was Steve Trevor's personal secret. It was a department with a staff of exactly two people. Two very - different - kind of people. When Trevor first met Doctor's Day and Mickelson, he had nearly dismissed them as weird, out of touch, and perhaps slightly insane. They were specialist in a sub field of quantum mechanics and singularities few people took seriously; alternate dimensions.

When A.R.G.U.S. was formed, Trevor wanted to have every base covered. After all, this was when a Super human alien, a man with a glowing ring that could create any shape he wanted, a man who could run at speeds faster than light, a woman who claimed to be a Demigod, a Cyborg who was linked to every computer in the world, and a regular guy dressed like a bat, had first appeared and saved the world.

Public opinion was high, and every politician and political leader was gushing to appear to be in close with these so called superhero's. So whatever Trevor asked for while putting together A.R.G.U.S., he got.

Then, time passed, world threats became less newsworthy, public enthusiasm cooled, and the politicians moved on to the next fad they could associate themselves with. All the while, everyone began to wonder if their voter's tax dollars were being well spent. Like every other branch of the government, Trevor had to review their assets and look for items to cut. The Tele-Dimensional research division seemed obvious at the time.

As fate would have it, soon after there was an attack from beings who claimed to be from a so called Fifth dimension. A feud of some kind had spilled over into their reality, which they called the third dimension, and started reeking havoc.

Superman eventually saved the day, thankfully, but the attack left an impression on Trevor. If there were other dimensions besides their own, then what else was possible? Thinking of every Philip K Dick novel he ever read, Trevor began to wonder if worm holes, parallel universes, and even time travel could be possible. And if anyone was advanced and powerful enough to manipulate time and space, then they would pose a threat to Earth, and Trevor wanted to be prepared.

Quietly, he reinstated the Tele-Dimensional Research Division. He kept it small, with only Doctors Day and Mickelson, and siphoned funds from other projects in small, barely noticeable, amounts. The politicians and bureaucrat's ears had slipped into apathy by now, and if they knew he was still funding this department, they would shut it down and use it as another excuse to remove him from A.R.G.U.S. entirely. The Doctor's knew the stakes, and they knew only to call him if it was of the utmost importance.

The elevator opened at the lowest sub-floor of A.R.G.U.S. headquarters. He raced down the hall to a rather ordinary looking janitorial closet. He looked up, making sure Director Waller hadn't installed any new security camera's without telling him. There was none, which meant his secret had remained safe.

He slipped through, and quietly shut the door behind him. He swiped his ID card within a hidden slot behind one of the shelves and the walls slide open to reveal a hidden room behind it.

Not used to visitors, Doctors Mickelson and Day jumped slightly as he slipped in.

"Colonel Trevor!" Dr. Mickelson said, bobbing up and down eagerly.

"What is it?" Trevor asked. "What have you found?"

"Here, here, looky, looky," said Dr. Day, who was sitting at his computer station.

There stations were like something you'd find in the basement of someone's mother's house. Four computer screens sitting side by side at a curved desk, two computer towers underneath. Wires and gadgets were littered all about, along with half empty bags of potato chips and soft drinks.

Dr. Day began typing furiously at one of his key boards, while Dr. Mickelson looked eagerly over Trevor's shoulder.

"We were doing our usual morning rounds," Dr. Day began.

"Rounding up the morning news by checking the usual websites for any strange appearances or phenomenon that is usually improperly dismissed as nonsensical conspiracy theories," Mickelson continued.

"We found nothing out of the ordinary, except for one scientist saying there was seismic activity in the Atlantic Ocean originating out of the northeast," Dr. Day said.

"Rather unusual," Mickelson added. "No fault lines out there."

"So we decided it was worthy of our expert attention," Dr. Day said. "Using the highly dumbed down Trans- dimensional wavelength reader provided for us so willingly by the every stingy bureaucrats of the Department of Defense…"

Trevor took a deep breath, and held it. They used to have a laboratory worthy of their genius before the cuts were made. Restoring their lab would be his first priority if he ever received his funding back.

"…we found there was a break in the normal dimensional vibrations around…" he finished typing and held his pointer finger high above his enter key, before letting it fall dramatically. "….here."

The screen changed to a street grid map of New York City. It began to zoom in, the streets gaining more detail until it stopped over a three block radius. A dot appeared in an alleyway between two buildings.

"Happened at approximately 3:30 this morning," Mickelson said. "Dead of night, clever beings we're dealing with here."

"Beings?" Trevor asked.

"Oh yes," Day said, nodding his head gleefully. "We hacked into a satellite to take a look at some overhead coverage of the time and location in question…"

"Which one?" Trevor asked, a bit alarmed. "Not the Governments?"

"Pshh, please," Mickelson said, indignantly. "Google's is the only one worthy anything these days."

"And we found…" Day continued, drawing the attention back to him and his screen. "…this."

He let his finger fall on his enter button again, and the screen went black. A moment later, a satellite video feed came into view. It was of the alley way, clearly in the dead of night. The only light was provided from some street lights, but that all changed in an instant.

There was a flash of light, and the alley way turned as bright as summer day. A large circular portal appeared in the screen, and three figures emerged.

Dr. Day extended his arms wide, and began shaking his hands as though he were a mad scientist. "They came from another dimension," he said in a voice mockingly reminiscent of black and white science fiction TV programs from the early fifties.

Trevor stared at the screen, speechless.

**The Arctic**

"I was able to revert Metropolis back to normal size with only minutes until Brainiac's bottling process was complete," I say. "Kandor was miniaturized just before Krypton was destroyed."

"So the window to restore Kandor closed a long time ago," Batman says.

I've taken Batman and Cyborg over to Kandor. I have it resting on a stone pillar, its bottle protecting it firmly. It looks like nothing more than a model a kid might spend his summer constructing. But with my super vision, I can see beyond the buildings and structures, to the people. I can't show Batman and Cyborg what I see, but I hope they'll understand nonetheless.

"Incredible," Cyborg says. He's leaned in closely to the bottle's surface, careful not to touch it. "Even from here, you can see just how huge this place was. And advanced. It looks as though the entire city was imbedded with a intricate auto-matronic system. Looks really cool, but really complicated."

"So is the technology that miniaturized it," Batman adds. "Clark, how much do you know about the bottling technology and process?"

It's like they're frozen in time. The people, my people, are standing or laying perfectly still, staring blankly ahead. Neither alive nor dead, just…suspended. Suspended in time, meant to be preserved as a relic of a civilization headed towards its twilight.

But even though they're all strangers to me, they're still my people. I've had dreams my entire life about them. Dreams I learned only a few years ago were actually memories of my brief time on Krypton. Memories of Krypton, of Kandor, and my father and mother.

"No," I reply. "I've looked through Brainiac's logs and files. Studied it as much as I can. But most of it is in languages I don't know, or encrypted using algorithms that would take a highly advanced mind to crack. But what I can understand, though, is that the people in Kandor are alive, just in some sort of suspended animation."

"hmm," Batman says. "That doesn't give us much to start with. And Brainiac said the process was irreversible."

"Brainiac never intended to restore his bottled cities, so therefore never developed a reverse technology," I reply. "But I have all his research, all his technology, including the technology and research he used to develop the bottling process. I've never thought that once something is done, it can't be undone. And I think an answer can be found in his research."

Vic's cybernetic eye's continues to roam over Kandor, while Batman and I stare coldly at each other.

"You've obviously thought a lot about this, Clark," Batman says.

"Wow, those look like hover cars in there," Cyborg says.

"I have," I reply.

Batman joins Cyborg in looking over the city, once again giving no indication of what he's thinking or feeling.

"But have you thought the rest of it through," he says. "Have you thought about what happens after?"

Of course I have, over and over. I've thought about it nearly everyday since I saved Metropolis, and found Kandor. While I was racing through Brainiac's ship, I could hear them. The people of Metropolis had become smaller than leaves on trees, but I could still hear them. I heard them shouting, crying, praying, and arguing as panic and despair descended upon them. Some accused me, others cried out for me, I'll never forget what they sounded like.

It's haunting to know that if I had only taken a few minutes longer to defeat Brainiac, they would have been trapped in the bottle in the same suspended animation as Kandor. Lois, Jimmy, Perry, and all the others; all lost, preserved, their last expressions frozen forever on their faces. And when I remember Metropolis, it makes me think of Kandor, and if they were just as afraid, angry, confused, or desperate.

"I've gone over it many times Bruce," I say. "And I've tried to think of every possible danger as well as the benefits. Therefore, I have a proposition. A proposition that includes both of you, and no one else."

Cyborg pulls himself away from Kandor and meets my gaze along with Batman. He looks interested, curious, his good nature that was thankfully preserved when he was transformed into Cyborg showing through. Bruce… Batman, on the other hand, keeps his gaze still, his eyes hidden beneath his cowl, once again revealing nothing of what he's really thinking.

I've thought of how I would approach them; rehearsing over and over what I would say, and how I would say it. It hasn't been easy, and I know the potential Pandora's box I could be opening. I've second guessed myself plenty of times from day to day, or hour to hour, even minute to minute. I know what my heart wanted, it speaks louder than anything else to me. But my mind has spoken loudly too, and plainly. I've realized this isn't a decision I can't make with just my heart, few things are anymore. So, I've brought my friends here to not only help me, but keep me in check.

"I want to restore Kandor, give them a chance to live again," I begin. "But I can't do it by myself, and I probably shouldn't try. I need you, both of you. Vic, because you are a supercomputer who can access the research and technology of the greatest scientific minds on the planet instantly."

"Yeah, neat," Cyborg says, nodding his head excitedly. "There's a lot to learn, and it could be fun."

"Bruce," I continue. "I need you because you are also a good mind, one who could sort and sift through all the research to help Vic focus."

That's one reason, but the only I'll give him. The other is more - complicated.

"Hmm," Batman says. "Clark, what are we hoping to gain from this? There's still a lot you have to think through, or if you have, you haven't told us it yet. For one, Kandor is a highly advanced city, with highly advanced people. Have you thought about the worlds reaction to them, and their technology?"

"Yes," I reply. "And its my hope that Kryptonian technology could advance Earth centuries ahead, benefiting all mankind."

"You're assuming the Kryptonian's would willingly share their technology with us," Bruce says.

"I believe arrangements and agreements can be made that will benefit both people," I reply.

"And if they aren't?" Bruce says. "Have you thought about the consequences?"

I knew he would go there; he always does. It's part of who he is, who he has to be. Thinking of every possibility, both good and bad, and always preparing for the worst.

"Giving advanced technology light years ahead of our own technological advancement would be like giving a fully automatic rifle to a twelve year old," Bruce continues. "They'd be trying to wield and control power they had never dreamed of having before. Power they wouldn't understand, power they aren't ready for, power that could lead to disaster on a global scale."

"The benefits to mankind far outweigh the risks," I counter. "Disease, poverty, war. These concepts were nearly absent on Krypton. Imagine if this vision for Earth were no longer a dream, but actually within grasp. I believe people would be drawn to the potential for good than the potential for destruction."

I move towards him as though I can push my way of thinking onto him. I want him to see the world as I do. I want him to see the glass as half full, to see the bright side, to feel hope. I want him to see humanities potential, and not just its shortcomings. He has to.

"Don't you agree, Bruce?" I ask.

"Perhaps I do today," he replies. "But what about tomorrow? Do we know who will hold this technology in the future? Do we know they'll always use it to benefit mankind? History is full of despots, monarchs, and elected leaders who just thieves, murderer's, socio-paths, and psychopaths. Ethnic cleansing, concentration camps, killing fields, and genocide, all committed by people such as these. History is molded and shaped by these people, and they would be the one's who'd have control of this technology. You know as well as I do a gun can be used to either save a life, or take one, what determines its actions is the intent of the one wielding it."

"You really have no faith in tomorrow?" I ask him.

He looks at me with the same hidden and expressionless look, and asks simply, "Do you?" Once again, I hide my feelings. I feel my gut clench, and my heart quicken. He's right of course. Damn it! He's always right. I've never understood how he can see humanity so darkly. I've never even wanted to try. But then again, this is what makes him so valuable. The world needs people like Bruce Wayne. I need people like him. And as much as I hate it, it's the second reason why I choose him.

"Here are my conditions," I say, stepping back from Bruce. "The first is that all work done on restoring Kandor will be done here, in the Fortress of Solitude. Nothing can leave under any circumstance. None of the technology, none of your notes, not even scribbles made in notebooks or your hands.

"The second," I continue, my eyes shifting between them. "Is that you tell no one. Not your families," I say looking to Cyborg. "Not your partners," I add turning to Batman. Then I add, slowly and hesitantly, "And not the other members of the League."

Vic's eyes widen, and Batman's stay still. Vic looks away as he considers the offer and conditions. I know what I'm asking of him, and I wouldn't blame him if he refused. As usual, I can't tell what Batman's thinking, though I can guess.

"Alright," Cyborg says after a moment. "I'm in. Not just because of the Technology, but also for your people. And I won't tell anyone or take anything with me."

I smile. "Thanks Vic, this wouldn't be possible without you," I say while shaking his hand.

Then, Batman.

"Tell no one, and bring nothing away from the Fortress," he says. "That sounds reasonable. But why not tell the others in the league. If they found out, it could cause a rift between us."

"I know," I say. "I don't want to keep them in the dark, but I feel its best for the time being. We'll work together, try to find the answers, explore the possibilities, review the consequences. If at anytime any of us decide this is no longer a good idea, then we will stop. If, however, we are able to find a way, then we'll tell the others, and bring them in to help us decide."

"So tell no one," Batman repeats.

"Yes," I reply. He nods slightly, then seems to stare deeply into me, deep into my soul.

"Agreed," he says, then adds coldly, "No one, not even Diana."

**Washington DC**

**A.R.G.U.S. Headquarters**

"**Where did they go!" Trevor shouted. "Quick, call up satellite surveillance."**

"**Way ahead of you boss," Mickelson says as he slips behind his computer. His screen begins opening and closing windows as he begins to type as furiously as Dr. Day. "We began tracking them on satellite right away. Each of them went in different directions, traveling in -unconventional- means."**

"**Unconventional to the average human being that is," Day adds. **

"**I don't care how, just tell me where they were going," Trevor said **

"**Well, after what looked like a struggle, and some kind of random shot fired in the dark, one took off west," Mickelson said. "Another, the girl, headed south. Last we checked, they were still traveling."**

"**West and south, ok," Trevor said. "Keep on them. What about the third? Where did he go."**

"**The bald one, yes," Day said. "Let's see, he went…where is it."**

"**What? Why can't you find him?" Trevor asked. **

"**Well you see, he didn't leave like the others," Day said. **

"**What do you mean?"**

"**He actually just hailed a cab and took off," Mickelson said. "It was hard to keep track of him in the downtown traffic of New York…"**

"**But last we saw…yeah here," Day said pointing to a screen. "He was heading south west, towards…well towards DC actually."**

**Trevor's eyes went wide and his hand squeezed his cell phone in his pocket. "How long ago did they arrive? How soon could he get to DC?"**

"**Well lets see, the portal opened around three AM last night, so about six hours ago."**

**Trevor's jaw clenched. These three people were obviously not here by accident. They had arrived in a dark alley, and they'd split up in three different directions. They arrived in the alley intentionally, not wanting to be seen. They had a reason to be here. **

**Trevor flipped open his phone. As much as he hated it, he had to call Amanda Waller.**

"**Make a copy of all this and get it on my desk ASAP," Trevor said, turning to leave. **

"**You mean walk around A.R.G.U.S. as if we're not your super secret weapon anymore?" Mickelson asked, obviously not understanding the severity of the situation. **

"**Yes, yes, just hurry," Trevor Barked. "He could be in DC any minute and we have to assess and protect any potential targets…"**

**The building suddenly began to rumble, then shake. Down below where they were, the vibrations were subtle, yet obvious enough. Sirens blared and the lights went dim following the rumbling. **

**Trevor cursed, immediately understanding what had happened. The building was going into lockdown, someone had bombed it.**

**Trevor's phone began to ring. He didn't even have a chance to see who the number was before the screen went blank. It logged as a missed call, the number belonging to his secretary upstairs. **

**Mickelson and Day sat silently, exchanging nervous looks with each other, then towards Trevor. **

"**Quick, download all the data you have about those three and disconnect your computers from the network," Trevor said as he began running towards the door. **

"**Then what?!" Day shouted. **

"**Stay here," Trevor shouted over his shoulder as he passed through the hidden door. He swiped his card on the reader, and the door began to shut. As it closed he said, "You'll be safest here, no one even knows you two still exist."**

**He ran down the hall and past the elevator. Mickelson and Day would be safe. There was no reason to come to the lowest level, and their hidden room had been deleted from any copies of the existing plans of the building. He raced up the stairs, the only light provided by the sirens, security cameras, and red exit signs. Counting the floors as he ran, he tried the handle to the door on the main floor. It was locked, a good sign. **

**His and Amanda Waller's ID cards were the only ones who could open the doors if the building went into lockdown. The fact that it was locked meant who ever had bombed the building hadn't shut down the computer systems yet. By now Day and Mickelson's computer would be disconnected, their data stored safely, and their existence still a secret. A secret which could prove more valuable than even he had ever though possible. **

**He continued running, shouts of panic or fear coming from the other side of the doors. But he didn't hear any gun shots, or explosions, or sounds of struggle. Another good sign. He ran too the fourth floor where the computer mainframes were. **

**He checked the door, it was locked, good. He swiped his card and opened the door. **

"**Colonel Trevor!" someone shouted. **

**From behind the desks and chairs, tinted by the red of emergency lights, emerged several members of the A.R.G.U.S. team. **

"**What's going on!" Trevor commanded. **

"**Someone bombed the lobby," said one nervous technician. **

"**Who?" Trevor asked, fearing the answer. **

"**We don't know," said another. "Some guy, we didn't get a good look before he blew out the camera's. But he bombed the doors open and just walked in."**

"**What!" Trevor shouted. "How can anyone do that, we have some of the best security in the country."**

"**We don't know, he just did, and he was whistling."**

**Trevor's heart began to race, as did his mind. He knew it was the bald man, it had to be. But why come here? At first Trevor thought the bald man would go after the President. Why else come too Washington DC? But no, he had come here. Trevor tried to think why, tried to think what this -man- whoever he was, would want …**

**The answer hit him like a stack of books. He cursed out loud. **

"**Sir?" one of the tech's asked. Trevor ran towards the computer. The bald man had come to A.R.G.U.S. for the same reason Trevor had come to the fourth floor first. **

"**Lock down the main computer," he said. "Hurry, we may not have much time. Upload all our data and hard drives to the secure backup server's, then delete everything here."**

"**But sir!" one of the tech's shouted. **

"**DO IT!" Trevor yelled. "DO IT NOW!"**

**But before any of them could move, another explosion ripped through the building. It came from the . The blast knocked them all off their feet, including Trevor, who was hurled to a corner in the back of the room. His eyes came into focus just in time to see several towers, monitors, and mainframe shelves come crashing down on him. **

**He lost his wind, and his legs burned as though they were on fire before going completely numb. Pins and needles began to flow up and down his arms, his breathing labored, and black spots began to fill his vision. It was difficult too remember where he was, but he managed to turn his head just enough to see the man, the bald man, stroll into the room.**

**Many of the techs had been wounded from the blast. Some were able to stand, but many were laying still, with rubble or blown computer equipment covering them. The few who were unharmed stood perfectly still, their hands in the air showing themselves to be unarmed. **

**A smirk appeared on the bald man's face. "Well then," he said. "This must be the place."**

**He walked non-chalantly past the tech's holding up their hands to the mainframe computer. Trevor tried to move, but his body wouldn't respond. The taste of blood entered his mouth, and breathing was becoming harder. He tried to fight through the cloudiness, through the pain, managing just enough to focus on the bald man's voice. **

"**You there," the bald man said, pointing to one of the techs, a younger looking kid. He motioned with his fingers to come closer to him, which the tech did, nervously. "I don't want to hurt anyone, well anyone else, understand?" the bald man asked, casually. The tech nodded, and the bald man smiled. "Good," he said, nodding his head. "I mean we're all on the same side, or at least we will be. Human race you know, we've only got our own back."**

**Though it hurt, Trevor nearly gasped. The voice, it was - familiar- but he didn't know from where. **

"**So then," the bald man said. "This computer contains your data base of every single meta-human on Earth, right?" **

**Tell him no, Trevor thought, unable to speak. **

**But the tech, nervously, nodded. The bald man smiled and nodded. **

"**Good to know," he said. "Now, why don't you be a good lad, save us all some time and trouble, and uh, enter your passwords so I can have access to it."**

**The tech, who looked as though he were in his mid-twenties, hesitated. The other tech's behind him were staring wide eyed, a mix of fear and apprehension. A few moments passed, and the tech began to tremble, but otherwise did nothing. Trevor watched helplessly under his pile of rubble, and found himself admiring the boy's courage, but fearing for his life. **

**The bald man's smile faded, and he nodded sympathetically. "Alright," the bald man said. "You're a good lad, I can tell. Duty, honor, loyalty. Everyone likes says its in such short supply, but I've always disagreed. The problem is people just never know where to place their duty, honor, and loyalty. Which is just a damn shame."**

**Out of the bald man's hand was tossed a small, circular object. The techs, and Trevor, all watched as it drifted towards the middle of the room. It began to glow as it ascended. Tiny little lights sprouting forth from the surface, accompanied by a dull hum. As it began to descend, light shot forth from the ball in all directions. The techs all collapsed to the floor a moment later, laying perfectly still with curls of smoke rising from their chests. **

**Trevor's heart nearly gave out, but he willed himself on. His only chance now was to remain completely still, and hope he wasn't detected. The bald man turned towards the computer, and began typing at its keyboard. He took several objects from his jacket and plugged them one by one into the sockets and ports. Trevor could hear the computer working, and he could only guess what the bald man was doing. **

**Soon enough, the computer stopped. The bald man replaced all the objects he' plugged into the computer back into his vests, and withdrew one more. He placed it the largest slot, and stood up to walk away. **

**As he turned to leave, he pressed a button on his wrist. "Lionel here," he said. "Phase one is complete. Hopefully the rest of the mission goes as swimmingly as this one did."**

"**Acknowledged," said a female voice from his wrist. "Meet us at the rendezvous point, phase two and three are about to begin."**

"**Understood, Lionel out," he pressed his wrist again and began to leave. Just as he was beyond the door he stopped. "Oh, almost forgot," he said. He turned and withdrew a remote of some kind, and pressed a button. **

**There was another explosion, smaller than the others, but from the computer mainframe. It rattled the floor, Trevor saw another tower fall towards him, and then everything went dark. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Justice League**

**The Price of Tomorrow**

**Part 2**

**Central City**

"And as we enter into this new Era of Humanity, we must step forward, seize the day, and lead, rather than be victims of a situation spinning wildly out of control."

Barry Allen stood completely still, betraying nothing of the feelings being stirred within him. The man speaking was the Mayor of Central City, Alan Trambeline. He was speaking to a crowd of mostly reporters, near the remains of a neighborhood adjacent to the Natural History Museum. The stage was angled so the camera's would see the devastation left by the Flash as he battled one of his Rogues, with the Mayor standing in front of it.

"These so called Meta-Humans must be made to follow the same rules and regulations as every other ordinary, law abiding citizen not only in Central City, but in the entire United States."

Allen listened, listened intently. He was not here by choice, but since he was, he decided he would make the most of the situation. As the Flash, he had been the one who had destroyed this city block almost a year ago. It was during an encounter with Captain Cold, who had used one of his ice grenades to freeze the entire block. Unable to slow himself in time, Allen had raced through the frozen neighborhood, his vibrations causing the city block to literally crumble.

"No one is above the law. The law is what not only brings order to our society, but protects ordinary citizens from those who would seek to infringe upon their natural rights."

When the battle was over, Allen had walked along the shattered rubble with the other emergency workers and volunteers. He listened to the people who had lost their homes, who had lost their businesses, who had lost their sense of security. He listened as they didn't just express their anger towards the Flash, or Captain Cold, but Meta-human's in general.

"Those who break the law should be held to account. Everyone must answer for their actions. There is no excuse for breaking the law. If we are to make exceptions for some, but not for others, we have a dictatorship. If we agree to disregard the law entirely, we have anarchy."

Allen was here because he had been told to be by Director Singh.

"We need everyone's focus on Mayor Trambeline's appearance today, including CSI," Singh had said.

It had been a few minutes before the day was about to officially begin, and Barry had been sitting at his desk, reading from an old file he always kept in his desk. "Why CSI? We're not much help until after a crime has been committed," Allen had said.

"This is from the top," Singh went on. "Mayor Trambeline's a rising star in his party, many think he's on the fast track to a Presidential ticket. So today, his aide's have arranged for a photo-opp ."

Barry had cocked a half, un-amused smile, which Singh had returned.

"So he wants to raise his profile by getting his picture taken by the victims huh," Allen had said.

"Props more or less," Singh had replied. "Prop's he'll use again later as he goes on talking head shows pleading for more tax payer money."

"So what do you need me for?" Barry had asked.

"Just to be there, stand behind him, be a presence to make him look like he's in touch, got support, and a man of the people," Singh had said. "And its going to start soon, so get there FAST.

Fast, has never been a problem for Barry Allen. After Director Singh had left, Barry looked at the folders on his desk, and sighed. The name on the first tab read "Nora Allen." The second, "Henry Allen." As he had placed them within a drawer, he made his usual promise; that he would look at them again, soon, when he had the time. It seemed he was always placing them back in his desk, putting them away until the day he could finally give the case the attention it deserved.

"So I ask you, Mr. President," Trambeline went on. "What are you going to do about the Justice League? What are you going to do about the so called crime fighters who are running wild throughout our states, cities, and homes, destroying everything in their wake? Federal aid is nice, but hardly enough. You must take action, and you must do it now."

The Mayor had been going on for nearly a half hour now, taking shot after shot at Superman, Batman, the Flash, and every other member of the Justice League. At some points, Allen could only smile. He smiled because during the moments when the mayor would speak with the most intensity, Allen would think of Hal Jordan, Green Lantern. Hal could never sit through an entire speech like this. Too much of a hot head, and he never hesitated to jump head first into any fight, physical or otherwise.

"Real these people in. Hold them accountable for the destruction they cause. Make them adhere to the law just as any other citizen must. We don't even know if any of these masked men and women pay taxes.

Allen smirked at the mention of both men and women; the Mayor was always good about being politically correct. However, Allen wondered if would speak so boldly if Diana were here.

These passing thoughts helped Allen endure the speech, but he was always hoping it would end soon. Then, he could back to the crime lab, back to his desk, back to his reports. There was a lot to do today, and unlike the city when the Mayor wanted to make a speech, crime never stopped.

He was thinking through the cases he would be working on once he returned to the lab, when suddenly his eyes grew wide. Through the Speed Force, he could sense the vibrations of nearly every object near him. Lately, Allen had been able to expand his range of perception by tapping into the Speed Force. At some points, with great concentration, he could even expand his range to cover all of Central City. At first, the vibrations had seemed a jumbled mess of chaos and distortion. But after time, Allen had grown accustomed to the slight variations between different objects, each having what he equating to their own figure print and unique signature. By learning to sense and differentiate the vibrations, the mess turned to order, order to tranquility, and then tranquility turned to normal.

With practice, he could even hold his perception at larger and larger ranges without even thinking. Such was the case now, as his perception was at a six mile radius or so. Everything had seemed normal, so normal he hadn't even been paying attention as he listened to the Mayor. But now, he felt something…different.

He felt a vibration that hadn't been there mere moments before, and was clearly out of place. Tuning out the Mayor and all the other sounds of the world, Allen opened himself to the Speed Force to draw in its power. Focusing his concentration, he followed the vibration as it traveled across the city. The world around him began to slow. It became so slow the dust in the air stood still, the swaying tree's became frozen in place, and the mayor's voice became nothing more than a deep hum.

The vibration was like a pulsing, and it was growing stronger. Opening himself further to the Speed Force, Allen felt the vibrations grow stronger. He pinpointed its location. Bearing west, towards the warehouse district, where the factories and industrial plants were.

In the next instant, before he could even think, the vibration stopped moving, and a series of explosions ripped through the city. The sudden mass explosion of sound and vibration was amplified by the Speed Force, causing Barry to fall backwards as though he'd been punched. He crashed on the stage as the world around him suddenly descended into chaos.

Shouting filled the air, along with sirens and horns. "What the hell just happened!" someone shouted. "Get to the Mayor!" shouted another. "Alert the police and national guard!"

Allen shook his head. His ears were ringing and the world was spinning. _Get up Barry_, he shouted to himself. He shook his head, and the ringing in his ears slowly fading. His vision was obscured, making the world look as though it were flying by him at super speed.

"The warehouse district!" someone else shouted. "Someone's attacked it."

"Terrorist! Terrorist!"

Looking west, Allen could see pillars of smoke begin to rise from the buildings where orange flames were dancing below. Without giving himself time to fully reorient himself, Barry dashed from the stage. He didn't bother racing into a dark alley, he didn't have the time. His friction resistant Flash suit jumped out of his ring, and it snuggled tightly against his skin a moment later. Drawing from the Speed Force, Barry was moving faster than light a moment later. He sped over the rooftops towards the warehouse districts, arriving an instant later, and relieved to see there were only minor fires in the buildings.

His Justice League communicator beeped.

"Flash, everything alright down there?" the voice on the other end asked. It belonged to Arthur Curry, better known to the world as Aquaman.

"Someone just set off a string of explosions," Allen replied as he raced into the first building. By the time he'd finished his sentence, he'd already made three trips in and out, each time carrying two civilians.

"That's what I picked up on the monitor, need any help?" Aquaman asked. It must have been his turn for watch duty in the Watchtower.

"Doesn't seem too bad to be honest," Flash said, moving on too the second building. "The Fire departments should be here soon, and it won't take much to put these fires out."

"Alright then, sounds like you got a pretty good handle on things" Aquaman replied. "Let me know if you need anything."

Allen was about to sign off, but then remembered the strange vibrations he'd felt. "Arthur wait, this wasn't a random explosion. I felt something entering the city through the Speed Force, something I've never felt before. Moving pretty fast too."

"Another Speedster?"

"No," Allen replied. "Whatever it was, it wasn't connected to the Speed Force. I could only feel their vibrations, nothing else. Can you ask Cyborg to check the surveillance camera's down here for anything suspicious."

"Cyborg's not here right now, but I can try," Aquaman said.

Allen frowned. Cyborg wasn't in the watchtower? That was odd, he was almost always there. In fact, the only time he ever left was when he was off with another member of the Justice League. However, Allen pushed it out of his mind as he raced into the final building.

However, he needed to find the answers to who set the fires before finding out where Cyborg was. "If you don't mind," Allen said.

"What are you going to do about the fires?" Aquaman asked. "They're not very big, but they're spread out. They're going to stretch your fire department pretty thin."

Allen was just about to make his last trip inside. He'd evacuated everyone who was in immediate danger, the rest would be able to make it out on their own just fine. Meanwhile, Allen surveyed the rest of the fires. Arthur was right. While the fires were small, they were numerous, and spread out. It would take the fire department a good amount of time to position themselves to fight all the fires, and by then, most of the buildings would be burnt to a crisp, and spreading in every direction.

"Well I guess I'm just going to have to make some," Allen said.

"What are you…oh boy…"

Allen continued, excited at the chance to explain to the King of the Ocean good ole fashion physics. "See, water is actually comprised of the combination of one oxygen atom, and two hydrogen atoms. Don't know if they teach you that in Atlantean schools…"

"I actually went to high school on the surface…"

"So all I have to do is combine enough hydrogen and oxygen atoms, and I can literally make it rain. I can use the lightening from the Speed Force to create positively charged Ions of Hydrogen atoms, and they should instantly join with negatively charged Oxygen atoms and create a bunch of water. Flash Fact!"

It didn't take long at all. With all the civilians moved safely away, Allen began racing around the fires. Around and around he went, summoning a great amount of Speed Force energy, and using it not only power his legs, but also to reach out on the subatomic level to find the kinetic energy of Hydrogen atoms. Charging them with lightening from the Speed Force, loose Oxygen atoms in the air became like super charged magnets to the unbounded Hydrogen atoms. The air soon became moist, then it began to raid. The water fell on the fires and the flames lessened. As the flames receded, oxygen atoms became more numerous, and it was easier to pair them with hydrogen atoms.

Flash created enough water that fires were almost out in only a few minutes.

"Not bad Barry," he said.

"Thank you," Allen said with a satisfied smile.

"I searched through the camera's, and I think if found your guy. But you better hurry, he's making his towards the museum you and Hal wrecked last year. And you're right, he moves fast."

The museum! That was where the Mayor was giving his speech. And since his speech had been interrupted by a terrorist attack he would no doubt use later when he made his rounds on the talking heads. When the fires were nothing more than a few flickering flames moments later, Flash sped back towards the museum, laving nothing but a blur of red light behind him.

If his hunch, and fear, were true, Allen wouldn't have much time. Opening himself as wide to the Speed Force as he could, Allen summoned as much kinetic energy as his body could handle. The world around him slowed to less than a crawl as he raced through the streets. It wasn't long before the platform came into view

There, he saw a man; a man with broad shoulders, blue eyes, and dark hair, wearing some kind of clothing that looked out of this world. His police training made him memorize every detail, including his -face - which looked strangely familiar. Most of the police, as well as the Mayor's guards, had been scattered. Most unconscious, but alive. They looked as though they had been cast aside as though they were a nuisance, but with only the smallest amount of injury; just enough to keep them subdued.

The Mayor was staring wide eyed with fear at the broad shouldered assailant. He was staring at the end of a barrel, a barrel belong to a gun held by the broad shouldered man. It was small, compact, but like nothing Allen had ever seen before.

He was pointing it at the Mayor's chest, his finger tense on the trigger. Allen was within a few hundred feet, it would only take him a moment more to get there. In that moment, the broad shouldered moved as though to squeeze the trigger, but hesitated. In what would pass as a brief moment for all, but seemed like an hour to Barry, he saw the broad shoulder's man expression changed.

It went from one of anger and determination, to something …softer. Allen recognized the look, it was the look of someone who was remorseful. It was the look of someone who knew they were about to take an innocent life, and hated themselves for it. Allen knew then that this man, whoever he was, was not a killer.

The moment's hesitation was all Allen needed. In an instant, he stopped himself between the mayor and the broad shouldered man, aware that the barrel was now pointing at him.

"What the-" the mayor stumbled.

"The Flash!" someone else shouted.

The broad shoulder man's eyes widened for a brief second. In that second, Allen used the kinetic energy of the Speed Force and threw his fist. With a speed slightly slower than the speed of sound, Allen unleashed what Batman called an Infinite mass punch. Allen connected with the man's chest, and the man was thrown from the stage.

"You probably should get out of here Mr. Mayor," Allen said in his most cheerful voice and smile. But his smile faded as off stage, the broad shouldered man had already leapt to his feet. This surprised Allen; the force of his blow should have knocked him out.

"Come on Mr. Mayor, lets go," said one of the guards, helping a stunned Mayor Trambeline to his feet.

"The Flash just saved the Mayor," said a bystander.

"He _is _a hero," said another.

The Mayor was lifted, slowly, to his feet. "Yes…" the mayor began slightly stunned. "I was saved…"

Allen didn't hear the rest, he'd already dashed from the stage. He came to a halt in the square, facing the broad shouldered man. He stood perfectly still, almost statuesque, with his gun pointed at Allen's chest.

"Don't bother," Allen said, nodding towards the gun. "No one's ever been able to get close to shooting me. Like ever."

"I know its impossible to shoot you," the broad shouldered man said. "I just want… need… you to get a good look at it. Use your investigative skills, what do they tell you…Mr. Allen."

Barry's eyes went wide before he could help himself. This man knew who he was. How was that possible? No one outside of his family and the Justice League knew his identity. Was it a trick? If it was, Allen's reaction would have been a dead giveaway.

"Who are you?" Allen demanded.

"Not your enemy," the man said back.

"No? Well you've set off some fires and I just saw you about to kill Mayor Tramebline," Allen said. However, inside, he found himself believing this man.

"The last thing I wanted to do was fight you," the man replied. "I had hoped I could keep you busy enough for me to finish my mission here."

"Keep me busy…"

But Allen didn't finish, because it all became clear. The fires were a distraction. Not meant to destroy much, and certainly not meant to kill anyone; only to keep the Flash away from the Mayor. But this man standing before him was not a killer. Barry had looked in the eyes of many suspects through his work. After so long Barry had learned to tell who were nothing more than petty criminals making mistakes, and those who had no regard for human life and would kill without hesitation. The man standing before had soft eyes, showing no signs of stress or anger. This man could have killed a lot of people already, but hadn't. This man was not a killer.

"I'm sorry Mr. Allen, I have a lot of regard for you, but I also have a mission to complete. A mission you would understand, if I could tell you," the man said, taking one step back.

"Don't do anything stupid," Allen said, bending at his knees and summoning the Speed Force. "Look around you, there's no way out. By now the Mayor is protected by every available cop in the city. They'll take him some place safe where you can't track him. Then, they'll get the word out, and everyone will know your height, weight, hair style, eye color, and face. Everyone will start looking for you. They'll find out everything about you. Friends, family, places you've worked, clubs you're a member of. You won't have any place to run or hide. Believe me, they will find you.

"But," Barry continued. "It doesn't have to be that way. So far you've only set off a couple of fires, and no one's been hurt. You pointed a gun at the Mayor, but you didn't shoot it. Therefore you didn't technically try to assassinate him. Come with me right now to the Police Station. I know some people there, good people who can help you. You'll have to do some time, but at least this can end peacefully, but only if you turn yourself in."

The broad shouldered man listened intently, his eyes remaining soft and gentle. Barry finished hoping his words would make an impact. By now he could feel the vibrations of the entire police force of Central City drawing near them. Snipers would be on the roofs soon, and this would end very badly if Allen couldn't convince this man to turn himself in.

To Barry's relief, the man drew in a deep breath, and lowered the gun. Allen sighed inside, and let the Speed Force drain from him.

However, the man wasn't finished. "It's not that simple, Mr. Allen," he said, gently. Allen narrowed his eyes and quickly tapped into the Speed Force again. However, he held himself back, not drawing too much. It was bad enough to be caught off guard by this guy, but it was worse how genuinely polite and sincere he seemed. "I still have my mission to complete, and there are far greater things at stake than my life. They can search for me all they want, but there isn't a spec of information on this world about me. Hopefully if my plan goes through, there never will be."

"What are you talking…"

Before Allen could finish, the broad shouldered man turned over the gun and pressed a button on the hilt. Another series of vibrations ripped through the Speed Force, causing Barry to stumble slightly. However, he quickly regained his footing, for another series of vibrations mean another series of explosions. Focusing his awareness, Allen found they were on the opposite end of the city.

"These were just like the others," the man said. "It's not my intention to hurt any innocent humans. However, if you do not help the people trapped in those buildings, they will be hurt."

"What are you doing?!" Barry shouted. But his anger subsided, as he saw true regret and remorse in the man's face.

"What I must," he said. "I wish I could explain my friend, you of all people would deserve to know. And perhaps would even understand. There's so much at stake, and you've already thwarted me in part of my plan." The man turned slightly, but didn't take his eyes off Allen. "Go Barry Allen. The people of this city need you. Go now. I hope we don't meet again, for I find being on the opposite end the red line as you to be very troubling. Though I suppose its all part of the price for tomorrow."

Before Barry could react, the broad shouldered man leapt. He leapt as tall as the highest building, and took off running as soon as he landed. Barry's eyes widened as the man became nothing more than a blur and spec moments later. He ran as fast as anyone Barry had ever seen; yet he could not sense this man's presence in the Speed Force.

Allen wanted to go after the broad shouldered man; he had made it clear he was planning something else. However, most of the fire department was still by the warehouse district, and the fire would grow too large before they got there. His city needed him first, the broad shouldered man would have to wait.

**Florida Coast**

It was bright. So bright she had to squint her eyes. She'd never had to do that before; the sun never shined where she came from. Looking up, she squinted her eyes as the sun burned yellow with a youth she had never known. It was beautiful, but she didn't have time for beauty.

Strange people wearing all sorts of unique and diverse garments pushed past her, never once giving her a second look. This had been a concern of theirs, blending into the surrounding population, and they had designed their uniforms hoping to draw as little attention as possible, while remaining functional. It seemed to work; no one thought anything of her garments. All of this lead her to one conclusion.

This was a world that had never known war, at least the kind of war that engulfs an entire planet.

S strand of her dark hair fell in front of her eyes as she withdrew her leather bound book. Her weapons were disguised and hidden well; a precaution her research suggested they would need to avoid attention from local law enforcement and the paranoid eyes of this time. It would be impossible to escape detection all together; camera's were everywhere, personal recording devices to hand held communicator's, someone would see each of them, and record them. But for now, her weapons remained hidden; hidden, but easily accessible.

She brushed the strand of hair out of her eyes and began flipping through the pages. She stopped when she came to a picture, a penciled sketch actually, of a woman with a silver head band, a chest plate that hung beneath her shoulders, golden gauntlets, a sword and lasso sheathed at her side, and pitch black hair. Beside each of these attributes were scribbled notes, and for what must have been the thousandth time, she read them over.

She had memorized them long ago, but believed in being absolutely prepared for absolutely anything. She had fought many battles in her lifetime, against many dangerous foes. But this could most likely be the most dangerous foe she had ever faced. And if she succeeded, then her next opponent would be even more dangerous.

But she didn't let the possibility of fear or failure seep into her thoughts. No. The first step of every battle was overcoming fear. Fear would make her second guess herself, fear would make her hesitate, fear would give her opponent the smallest opportunity to strike, and she could not let that happen.

Snapping the book shut, she replaced it in her garments, and began to walk. She was ready, more than ready. She knew everything about her opponent; every strength, every weakness, every possible point of exploitation.

Checking her watch, she thought of her comrades. Phase 1 had been completed without any problems; but she hadn't heard anything about phase 2 yet. She bit her lip, and resisted the urge to call. He would come through, he had too; after all, all this was partly his fault.

Her wrist watch changed the hour, and just as expected, people began to run and scream in panic. They ran past her from the sandy shore of the Florida coast as a dark cloud appeared over the water. It hummed softly, but as it approached the shore, the hum grew louder. The cloud was dark, ominous, and sweeping low to the ground; all of which was intended for this desired response. It followed the people as they ran to their cars or for indoor shelter.

The woman watched the cloud as it came closer, then only turned slightly as it zipped past her, feeling like grains of sand blown against her skin.

She opened her eyes as one bumped into her, a man, who fell back.

"Hey watch…" he looked up and seeing she was a woman, stopped. She met his gapping stare with one that was cold, and empty. "Hey lady, uh, why don't you come with me, its getting crazy out here."

She narrowed her eyes, human males could be so pathetic. "Go," she said, sternly, the way her mother had taught her.

The man's eyes widened and he quickly sprinted past her as the swarm continued flying by. Behind her, she heard him and others scream as panic overtook them; a panic of their own imagination. The swarm was harmless. It was not designed to inflict pain or injury, just cause a panic. And in this paranoid culture, they were working splendidly.

She had crafted them from an old design passed down through her family. They were simple, small, and self replicating. She had only needed to bring a few, and release them into the air a few hours before she needed them. They were programmed to gather tiny, almost microscopic bits of minerals which could be found in an abundance on this world. As the swarm gathered the minerals, they began to replicate, creating exact duplicates of themselves and passing along their programming.

When a certain amount had been reached, they had been programmed to gathered out in the ocean. From there, they would assemble and begin flying inland. She had predicted that once spotted by the humans, panic would ensue. That panic would draw attention from local news media, which would be picked up by the national news, which would soon be broadcasted around the world in a matter of minutes.

It would no doubt catch the attention of her target, which she expected any minute now.

It wasn't long after before a soft hum appeared in the distance. Looking up, she squinted her eyes once more as the woman from her sketch appeared. The hum continued to pass by overhead as the woman shot downwards towards the Earth, sunlight glinting off her head and wrist bands.

With a sword in hand, the woman flew towards the swarm. By this time, the swarm had done its job and the beach was empty. So she clicked a button on her wrist, and the swarm began bank back towards her. As hoped, the woman from the sketch followed the swarm, followed them right to her.

The woman from the sketch waved her sword wildly through the swarm. An unnecessary gesture because just as they reached her the buzzing of their mechanical wings suddenly ceased, and the swarm dispersed, becoming nothing more than dust which scattered harmlessly in the wind.

The woman from the sky landed before her, clenching her teeth and holding her sword tightly. "What sort of plague was this?!" she demanded.

"Not a plague, just science," she replied. "Hello Wonder Woman. You won't believe this in a few moments, but I'm honored to meet you."

Diana of the Amazon's, known to the Wonder Woman, known to a select few as Diana Prince, cocked her head curiously, but narrowed her eyes fiercely. "And who are you?" she asked, warningly.

The woman shrugged. "An admirer actually."

Pressing a button hidden under her garments, she clenched her teeth as venom began to fill her veins. Another secret known only to her family, guarded carefully throughout the generations. Wonder Woman's eyes went wide as the woman began to grow. She watched Wonder Woman carefully, already feeling she had the upper hand as the venom gave her new found speed, agility, and most importantly for today, strength.

Diana was torn. This strange woman was clearly in pain, yet it was also clearly self inflicted. Then, she gasped as the woman's body began to grow, no expand, into a gaping hulk. Her garments tore, revealing hidden weapons beneath them which Diana could not recognize. She knew enough, however, to think it safe to assume they were highly advanced, and dangerous.

When the process seemed complete, the woman turned back to Wonder Woman, and leapt towards her.

Diana was barely able to bring her gauntlets up in time to deflect the strange woman's strike. She was knocked back, and her gauntlets rang from the sound of the sword Diana hadn't even seen the woman draw. She cursed as she crashed into a tree, the taste of blood falling on her tongue. Her own blood. Leaping to her feet, Diana quickly searched for the enlarged woman.

She had only looked to her left when she took another blow from behind, sending her sprawling into the sands.

"So far I am disappointed," the woman shouted as she began another charge. "Perhaps you are not worthy of the stories they tell about you."

"Stories you say," Diana said, leaping to her feet. She quickly set her feet and caught the woman's next strike with her sword. The sound of their steel meeting rang out across the empty beaches. "Only a fool thinks of stories during battle. And only an arrogant fool cares what those stories say of them."

Diana pressed hard with an exertion of strength, and the woman was tossed back. Without hesitation, Diana leapt, swinging the flat of her blade to strike the woman's head. But the woman landed gracefully and quickly rolled away from Diana's strike. Sand sprayed everywhere from Diana's sword before she was met with another kick from behind.

Diana was flung forward, but rolled and caught herself just in time to meet the woman's next blow. Diana's sword caught the woman's mere inches from her face. As the blades pressed against each other, the sun glinted off the woman's, and Diana gasped; the woman's sword was identical to her own.

"Heretic!" Diana shouted, pushing the woman back. "Where did you get this blade?!"

The woman pushed back, bringing her blade closer to Diana's eyes once more. "Can't you tell?" she said through clenched teeth.

Unleashing a furious Amazonian battle cry, Diana brought her knee up into the woman's gut. She lost her balance for a moment, but the blow sent the woman sprawling into a tree.

"Do not mock me!" Diana shouted, holding the blade in a battle position.

The woman quickly leapt to her feet, and the two exchange a fierce glare. "I never mock," the woman growled.

They leapt towards each other in the same instant, their blades meeting each other's head on. "…What…"

At the side.

"…Sort…"

Down below.

"…Of creature…"

Overhead.

"…Are you?" Diana said between blows.

Diana moved to kick the woman in the gut, but her leg was caught underneath by the woman's arm. Holding her firmly, the woman rolled on her back, tossing Diana over her head.

The woman snapped to her feet and whirled to face her. "Me?" she said. "I'm only human."

Diana had landed hard, and her wind had left her. She held herself strong, but struggled to catch her breath. "What have you… done to yourself… then?" Diana asked. "What…abomination…have you unleashed…within yourself?"

The woman shook her head dejectedly. "I had to give myself a chance," she said. "How else does one defeat the great Wonder Woman."

The woman brought her sword up again, and charged. Still struggling to find her wind, Diana charged as well. But she feigned high, hoping to give herself another moment to recover. To her surprise, the woman feigned low, and they passed over each other harmlessly. They quickly turned and faced each other again, prepared to charge again.

"Now I am not disappointed, Princess." the woman said. "I say this with respect, you are all the stories say you are. I wish there were women such as yourself where I come from."

"You should have remained there instead of bringing your violence and bloodshed here," Diana replied.

Their blades met again, thrusting and parrying each other's blows.

"Violence is life where I come from," the woman said. "The same is true for you, whether you wish to acknowledge it or not. Your people are warriors are they not? Are warriors not bred for violence?"

"We train to fight in our defense," Diana replied as their blades crashed off each others. "But we never use it for aggression or conquest."

"You speak with the idealism of a foolish youth," the woman retorted before unleashing a harsh downward blow. "You are a warrior, you were bred and trained to fight in war. Do not deny yourself, or apologize. Embrace it, show the world what you are capable of, truly capable of."

Their blades met again overhead. They came to a stand still, each pressing hard against the other. Diana still felt weak from loosing her wind, and she wasn't sure how long she could hold the woman off. Fear began to sink into her; she was loosing.

The woman glared into Diana's eyes, a glare without fear, without hesitation, and she continued, "If you don't, then nobody will hesitate to cut you down."

The woman pressed herself harder, and Diana realized she had been holding back. Now, the woman was using her full strength. As the blade came closer, Diana had no choice but to retreat from the blow. She withdrew her blade, causing the woman's to crash into the Earth, and Diana rolled away.

"These people have done nothing to you," Diana spat as she regained her footing. "The way of the warrior does not beget murder."

"I don't have the luxury of seeing the world in black and white," the woman responded. "And where I'm from, life is paid for with life. You must take one, to save one. Would that still make me a murderer?" the woman cried as she charged again.

"You do not belong here," Diana said as she feigned an over head attack. "Here, all life is precious, and we fight to protect it."

Their blades met in the middle, then below, then above again. Diana watched her opponent closely, expecting her to laugh or sneer at the idea of life being precious; it was what most cold hearted killers did since they did not value life. However, the woman did nothing of the sort. Instead she only met Diana's gaze with determination, and sincerity.

"You are right," she said, as their blades crossed again. "I don't belong here. And in case you were wondering, the swarm had caused no harm to anyone or anything. It was never my intent."

Diana's eyes widened as she freighted another blow. "Then what was your intent!" she shouted.

She pushed against the woman's blade, allowing herself to be drawn in dangerously close. However, she realized this might be her only chance. This woman was highly trained, and very confident. She seemed to know Diana's fighting style almost as well as she did. And now, thanks to whatever she had injected into herself, she was stronger as well.

Diana's only chance was to use her strength and aggressiveness against her. In close, she prepared herself. It was a move she had practiced often, designed to catch her opponents off guard. She would push aggressively close to them, making her opponent think she was putting all her strength into her blade. It would force them to dig in, and push back. When they did, Diana would fade, and the force of her opponents blow would make them stumble forward. From there, Diana would thrust her knee into the woman's face, then sweep her off her feet before pinning her to the ground with her sword pressed against her throat.

"My intent," the woman replied as Diana raised her blade and struck. "Was only to meet you!"

Instead of lifting her blade to meet Diana's, she released her own. She released it in the same fashion Diana would have. Caught off-guard, as she had intended for the woman, Diana stumbled as her momentum carried her forward. In the next instant, the woman's knee met Diana's face. The blow was strong, and darkness splashed across Diana's vision just as she felt her feet swept out from under her. She landed on her back a moment later. The woman leapt upon her, pinning her arms and legs to the ground, and pressing the point of her sword against Diana's neck.

Diana became still, but began cursing in her mind. She had just been defeated by her own move. Not just by her own move, but by an opponent who clearly knew everything about her. This woman had studied Diana, thoroughly. Not merely toying with her, for she was clearly nothing more than human who had prepared herself for this particular battle. No, the truth of the matter was simple; Diana had never stood a chance.

This woman hadn't just looked for weaknesses in Diana's fighting style, but had created them. She had matched Diana's speed and strength with whatever she had released into her body, and she had fought her in the same style Diana fought, using a blade that was…

Diana gasped as she felt a small bit of magic leap from the blade. It seeped into her flesh as the woman pressed the blade harder against her throat.

"Where…" Diana said, but could not bring herself to finish. "It cannot be possible!"

The woman's eyes shifted to the blade, then back to Diana. "It is Wonder Woman. Think about it. How could anyone hope to defeat you without a blade blessed by the god's."

"But…how?"

"I don't have time to explain," the woman replied curtly. "I don't have much time for anything, and for my next opponent I'll need both blades."

Diana clenched her teeth, and tried to struggle, but the woman pressed the blade harder into her neck. A line of blood appeared at the point.

Diana became still, and decided she would face her fate bravely. "If you truly respect me at all," she said defiantly. "You'll at least give me a warriors death."

The woman's eyes softened, "Who said anything about killing you?"

Diana's eyes went wide as the woman yanked the blade away from her neck, then brought the flat end across Diana's head. She didn't even have time to shout before the world went dark.

**The Justice League Watchtower**

As soon as we re-materialize in the Watchtower, I can tell something's wrong.

My first clue is Cyborg, who suddenly becomes more alert as his circuits re-attune themselves to this location and his constant stream of data picks up its pace. His eyes narrow, and I can tell he's reading something that troubles him.

My second clue is Batman. He notices Vic as well, and immediately presses a finger to his cowl. Without a word, we make our way through the empty halls to the control room. I try to focus my super hearing on whatever device Bruce has in his cowl; but all I can hear is muffled noises that sound like news transmissions. His breathing doesn't change, and just like in the artic, I can't hear his heart.

However, I can hear Cyborg's circuits begin to crank and spin faster. Whatever he's picking up, he's processing it fast.

I begin to hear Arthur as we get closer to the control room. His voice is raised, and he's speaking quickly and furiously. His sentences are short, harsh, and too the point; he's obviously angry. I focus my hearing on the control room and hear another voice along with his. Its muffled and artificial, meaning he's probably talking with someone on the viewing screen.

We enter the control room, and find Arthur. Just as I thought, he's standing in front of the large viewing screen, his Trident gripped tightly in one hand, and his other pointing a finger at a man on the viewing screen. Vic and I exchange an un-amused look, while Batman stares at the man solemnly. The man talking to Arthur is dressed in a fancy suit, with a slicked back hair cut, and perhaps the most smug smile I've ever seen planted firmly and confidently on his face.

"The Justice League does not take orders, got it!"

"And this is not an order, Arthur…"

"Aquaman," Arthur says sternly.

"…Aquaman. This is merely a…"

"What's going on here," I say, stepping beside Arthur in front of the viewing screen. Vic puts himself on the other side of me, and the three of us face the screen together. Bruce, however, stays off to the side, out of view of the screen, and sits himself at another computer.

"Ah, Superman," the man says. "It is a pleasure to meet the famous Man of Steel. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Anthony…"

"Apparently he's the new liaison to the Justice League," Arthur says. "And he thinks that means he can give us orders."

I narrow my eyes and cross my arms over the "S" on my chest. "The Justice League no longer requires, or wishes, for a liaison. We have always, and will always, be an independent team operating without any official endorsement or sanction of any government in the…"

"Yes, yes, I understand that," Cartwright says, interrupting me. It's a bold thing to do, and telling. Only those who've stood against me have ever interrupted me. "And unfortunately it seems you are misunderstanding me. You see, I'm not giving you orders. I wouldn't presume to give you orders. It's the last thing I want to do.

"What I am doing, however, is making a simple request," he continued. "I'm simply saying that it is the United States Government's official request that you withhold yourselves from operating on American soil."

I hear Arthur's heart begin to pound with anger. Vic is listening, but I can tell his attention is divided. Meanwhile, Bruce is still in the corner, out of sight, typing furiously.

"The Justice League will respond wherever there is a global catastrophic threat," Arthur said. "It's what we do, it's what we've always done since Darkseid first attacked Earth…"

"Many years ago," Cartwright said. "Since then we have learned much about Meta-humans and the threats they pose to America. And just as you have stated you wish to be independent of any government, our government wants to be independent of you. In other words, if there is a threat on American soil that you believe requires your -ah- unique abilities, do not attempt to interfere."

I should have seen this coming. We all should have. We've always been a lightening rod for debate and controversy. I'm a journalist, I've seen first hand the differing opinions and arguments had over us. This is the age not of information, but disinformation, where everyone has a microphone, and anyone can say anything they like; the truth is always sorted out later.

"Odd," I say, slowly. "We've always been welcomed in America." In the corner of my eye, I see that Bruce has stopped typing. He's turned away from his computer screen to give me a stern look. I give him a quick glance, knowing what he's thinking. He doesn't want me to say that we, with the exception of Diana and Arthur, are American. He's right, of course, and so I don't. "I wasn't aware there was a change in your government's official recognition of the Justice League."

"Technically there isn't," Cartwright says. "However," he shrugs. "There are those of us who believe we rely too much on you, and that is dangerous. After all, none of you can live forever, and we barely even know who each of you are. We are starting to see that we have to get back to learning to stand on our own two feet. I'm sure each of you can understand that, right?"

Arthur slams his fist on the control panel. "This is outrageous," he says. "You're not even a member of A.R.G.U.S. Where's Colonel Trevor?"

Cartwright's smile fades, and he nods in fake sympathy. "You're right, Aquaman. I'm not a member of A.R.G.U.S. But that's because A.R.G.U.S. is, as of now, officially out of commission."

"What!" the three of us say at once. Batman stays silent, but he's moved from the computer to stand beside the viewing screen. From this angle, Cartwright can't see him.

"Yes, a bit of an unfortunate accident," Cartwright continued. "We're still gathering details, but what's important to understand right now is that A.R.G.U.S. no longer has the ability to operate at sufficient capacity, so the interactions between the United State's Government and the Meta-human community, including the Justice League, have been handed over to Homeland Security."

Arthur steps forward, seething with anger. "Where is Colonel Trevor, or Amanda Waller…"

"Colonel Trevor is unfortunately a casualty in the attack on A.R.G.U.S. and Amanda Waller currently has her hands full with other matters. (Again, see Justice League of America). So in the mean time, you deal with me. I'm your new liaison to the United States Government. I represent our interests, and your life line to the President. If we require your assistance we will contact you, but under no circumstances are you to …"

Bruce casually flips a switch by the viewing screen, and it goes dark.

"Can you believe that guy," Vic says. "I'm gonna get a hold of dad. He still carries some weight with the Government, he'll set this right."

I'm about to agree and thank him, but Bruce speaks first. "Later Cyborg," he says. "Right now we have much, much, more pressing matters."

He turns on the viewing screen again. The screen splits into three news reports. One is covering the attack on A.R.G.U.S. we just heard about from this Cartwright guy. The other is from Central City, Barry's home. It's covering what they're calling a Terrorist attack which included an assassination attempt on the Mayor's life. Then I turn to the third, and my heart stops.

It's a newscast from Florida. Its covering two women, obviously at the end of what appears to be a fierce fight. One of the women is strange, larger than the average woman, and holding down the other with a sword pointed at her throat. I don't recognize her, but the other I do. The other is Diana.

**Washington DC**

Steve Trevor groaned loudly as he rolled over. Every muscle in his body protested loudly, and he was stiff, sore, making every movement, including breathing, hurt. He opened his eyes only to be met with blinding light, causing him to wince. Then he remembered.

Gasping, his eyes snapped open wide as he sat up. The pain was excruciating, but he pushed it out of his mind. He had to find a phone, he had too…

"Colonel Steve Trevor!"

Trevor stopped, and felt his jaw tense. His name had been called out joyfully, laced with a thick layer of smugness.

"Cartwright," Trevor said tensely.

"Good too see you awake," he said.

It was then Trevor realized he was in a hospital. His eyes danced around and saw the familiar white sheets, sterile bright lights, an uncomfortable couch placed beneath a window, and a table a chairs near the door.

Turning, he was about to ask how he got here, but stopped when he saw Cartwright was not here alone. Amanda Waller was seated with him.

"Hello Steve," she said, curtly. Her arms were crossed and her face bore an expression that said she wasn't happy.

"Director Waller, I got to get out of here. The Justice League…"

"Is no longer your concern," Cartwright said.

"What!?" Trevor said. "Of course it is…"

"I actually just had a conversation with the Justice League," Cartwright continued. "Not the most pleasant people, but they should no longer be operating on U.S. soil anymore, which makes them no longer a concern of our Government."

Trevor's muscles clenched with tension, causing jolts of pain to race through his body. "But A.R.G.U.S…"

"Has been suspended," Cartwright said, a half smile on his face.

"What!" Trevor said. "How is that possible?"

Instead of answering, Cartwright turned to Waller. Her face continued to look like a brick wall, but Trevor could see her sigh.

"It's true Steve," she said. "The attack left over thirty people dead, the security system destroyed, and all the data and research on the Meta-Human community wiped out."

Trevor's eyes went wide. "No, wait. Before the attack I told them to start uploading the data to our online secure backup…"

"Which they failed to complete before it was destroyed," Cartwright said, far to casually for Trevor to stand.

"No, they had too…"

"They didn't," Waller said. "Everything A.R.G.U.S. had gathered and achieved over the last six years has been wiped out. And with our Government considering a new stance on the Justice League…"

"And of course the formation of our own Justice League," Cartwright cut in. (_See Justice League of America)._

"…_It has been decided," Waller continued, taking a moment to give Cartwright a sharp glare, "… that for the meantime, A.R.G.U.S. will be inactive." _

_Waller was good at concealing her true beliefs on most matters related to her job. However, Trevor knew Waller well enough to know she liked this about as much as he did. Somehow, Anthony Cartwright had learned the true intentions of The Justice League of America. To the public, the JLA were supposed to operate as their own meta-human team, with Trevor training and leading them. However, its true intentions were to be the United States first line of defense in case the Justice League ever began acting against America. _

_This was suppose to be a secret. A secret people like Anthony Cartwright weren't suppose to know. Yet somehow he did know, he was revealing that he knew, and that made Waller angry._

"_Like I said, I just finished a conversation with the Justice League a little bit ago," Cartwright continued. "They didn't seem to take the news too well."_

"_You told them about the JLA!" Trevor shouted._

_Cartwright held his hands up in mock defense. "No, of course not. That would defeat the purpose. I told them the United States no longer wishes them to operate on American soil. We'd like to clean up our own messes for a while. A little neater if I might add."_

_Trevor rubbed his eyes and clenched his teeth. "Amanda, you can't think…"_

"_I don't think, Steve, and neither do you," she said, coldly. "We have our orders, and are expected to follow them. Right now, you obviously need rest after the attack."_

_Trevor's eyes went wide. The attack! So much was making him angry right now he'd almost forgot. _

"_I can't rest, I have to get back to A.R.G.U.S…"_

"_We told you, A.R.G.U.S. is now non-existent," Cartwright said. _

"_What we need from you right now is to tell us what you know about who attacked A.R.G.U.S." Waller said. "We don't have any security footage, it was all destroyed or erased, and we haven't found an eye witness yet amongst those who survived. You're the last to awake…"_

"_We barely managed to find you under all that rubble," Cartwright said. "But we did, barely alive, and apparently lucky to be able to walk again, though not right away. And to think, everyone else in that room died but you. I hope that doesn't keep you up at night."_

"_So… is there anything you can tell us about who attacked A.R.G.U.S?" Waller asked, in a restrained voice._

_Trevor tried to think, but his head was spinning. His memories were a bit scattered and fuzzy, but he did remember something. The bald man. _

"_I don't know who it was," Trevor said. _

"_Nothing at all?" Cartwright asked. _

"_He was a bald man, not too large," Trevor continued, ignoring Cartwright. "Spoke very politely …"_

"_Oh that's certainly a lot to go on," Cartwright said. _

"_Damn it, just listen Cartwright," Trevor said. A sharp pain seared across his temples as his pulse began to quicken. "This is important. He, and two other people came through some kind of portal in New York City last night. They all went in different directions. One west and one south, and this bald guy came here."_

_He stopped, expecting another jibe from Cartwright. However, Cartwright remained silent, and instead exchanged a curious look with Waller. _

"_Three you said?" Waller asked a moment later._

"_Yes, three," Trevor replied. _

_Cartwright's eyes narrowed. "How did you find out about this?" _

_Trevor opened his mouth, but stopped himself. He didn't want to tell them about Mickelson and Day. Not only could it mean more possible trouble for him, but he didn't want any other agency sweeping them away from him._

"_It doesn't matter," Waller said quickly, reading Trevor the way he had read her. "What does matter is this. There have been three attacks today across the United States by unidentified and possibly undocumented Meta-Human's," she continued. "With A.R.G.U.S' databanks destroyed, we are flying blind against them. The public is aware of two attacks at large, but not the third. We need to keep it that way."_

"_But they came through a…"_

"_Yes, a portal, I heard you," Waller said. "I'll have to look into that myself. But as of right now, Steve, you are officially relieved of your duties at A.R.G.U.S and your new orders are to remain here to rest and recover."_

"_No, screw your orders, I have to get out there," Trevor said. He gripping his hospital bed and tried to stand, only to have pain sear through his body once more. His legs were the worst. It was nearly impossible for him to move them in even the slightest. He collapsed back on the bed a moment later, gasping. His legs were difficult to move, but he could feel pain, which meant he wasn't paralyzed._

"_Stay here and recover Steve," Waller said firmly before turning to leave. As she reached the door she said, "I will need you back in the field with the JLA as soon as possible." She left, with Cartwright right behind her._

_However, he stopped. On the table by the door laid the remote control to the TV. Casually he picked it up._

"_Yes, we will need you. So get well soon Colonel Steve Trevor," he said, smugly again. "Perhaps this will help - encourage you."_

_He pressed a button and the screen in front of Trevor's bed blinked to life. The TV focused, showing a news channel, covering a story in what seemed to be out of Florida. Trevor's eyes went wide as he saw two women. They looked to be fighting, or at least had been. One had the other pinned to the ground. _

_The camera zoomed in on the two women, and Trevor's inside's clenched. The woman on top he recognized from the footage of the portal. And the other was Diana. _


	3. Chapter 3

**Justice League**

**The Price of Tomorrow**

**Pt. 3**

**Undisclosed Location**

**Top Secret High Security Prison **

For five minutes, the pieces on the board hadn't been moved. For five minutes, the one sitting behind the board hadn't moved. For five minutes, he'd been studying the pieces, calculating ever possible move he could make, and playing out each scenario in his head. He does this because he has nothing else to do, except sit, wait, and think of his next move. And whatever his next move will be, Lex Luthor knows it will be the perfect and move effective move to defeat his opponent.

With a small smile, he reaches for the Bishop, and looks out of the corner of his eye towards his guards. There are two of them today, standing outside his glass cell with their backs to him.

Laughing slightly, he rolls the Bishop in his fingers. "You really should be watching you know," he says.

They remain still, but Luthor knows they can hear him. The thousands of camera's and microphones littered all throughout this facility pick up every move and sound he makes. They were there to make sure there wasn't a place in the entire facility Lex could not go without being watched. It would be unnerving to most, but Lex found it flattering.

"It really is a rare and extraordinary opportunity," he continues. "The greatest intellect of our age, playing chess against the greatest opponent he could ever hope to face." He placed the Bishop on square, and smiled slyly. "Himself."

He turned the board and folded his hands under his chin before beginning to play through every possible move and scenario in his mind, this time from the Black pieces perspective.

"Suit yourself though," Lex said. "From mere observation there could be so much you could learn. A chance to see genius at work before your very eyes. Yet you sit there in full regality and diligence, performing your duty as your masters have commanded. A shame really, but perhaps it's just as well. You probably couldn't even begin to possibly comprehend the thorough and complex process through which I, the worlds greatest intellect, decide to make my moves."

He reached for the rook, and moved to take out the Bishop he had just placed a moment ago. "Check!"

Spinning the table again, he begins to study the board with full awareness that the white King is in danger. In danger not just from the Bishop, but from all the other possible traps he'd set.

"I've played at least a thousand games of chest since I was shackled here," Lex continued. "A thousand games, and not once have any of you ever challenged me. I used to wonder why that is. At first I thought it was simply because of your commitment to your masters and their orders who tell you not too speak to me under any circumstances. Can't risk accidental enlighten now can we, eh. That would risk your near perfect collective system of conformity.

"Then again, a forked tongue has never been a modus operandi of mine, which you are all aware of," he continued. "I've never manipulated anyone into a hypnotic state of servitude, nor would I. I have complete and utter disdain for the masses of the so called working class who live their lives in the monotonous day to day grind of personal habit, routine, and order. Little worker bee's who assign themselves to either one master or the another and see the world through the prism of black and white, or left and right. Heh, never once daring to believe they could shatter the prism and consider the existence of a third way.

"Those are the ones you should be wary of if manipulation is your fear; the freaks and the politicians," Lex said. "I have too much respect for the human brain and its potential to sit here and try to manipulate you into doing my bidding."

Lex picked up a pawn, and placed in the way of the Bishop with a sly smile. Then said, "We could have always found a way to play through the glass, though."

Spinning the table, he placed a hand under his chin, then looked at the guards mockingly.

"Could it be you know you don't stand a chance?" he asked rhetorically. "That you are afraid to undertake a challenge where the outcome is so clearly not in your favor? You are all highly trained soldiers in the employ of the United States government! You're used to challenges! It's part of your training. They test you with challenges; challenges you are meant to fail, purposely, to test your resolve and reaction. In other words, you are supposed to be used too loosing, and therefore not afraid of it."

He picked up a knight, and held it over the board. "But no, its neither of those, is it," he said, rolling the knight in his fingers. "Then which is it? It's puzzled me time and time again, since I don't have much else to think about in here. Then one night, I had an epiphany." He placed the Knight on an unoccupied place just in front of his King, and smiled. "You won't face me because when you inevitably would fall into danger, there would be no one to save you."

The Knight was placed between the Black Bishop and the White king. The Bishop could move forward and take out the Knight, putting the White King back in Check. However, a pawn was placed on the adjacent square to the Knights. If the Bishop moved forward, took the Knight putting the White King back in danger, the pawn would simply move and take the Bishop, eliminating both the threat, and a powerful piece from the Black's arsenal.

"No Superman to fly in and save the day," Luthor said, removing his hands from the Knight and forming a satisfied smile. "And that is what Humanity has been reduced too. A people content to stare at the mountain of progress, but never mustering the courage to ascend to its summit. You'll climb the precipice, yes, but only because Superman is your safety net. You won't dare venture outside your realm of assurance, not unless you know your savior is there.

"But what happens to humanity when Superman is no longer here to save the day? Eh, yeah? What happens then? What happens we have to stand on our own two feet again? Will we even remember how too?

"Listen to me now and listen to me good!" Luthor said, raising his voice and glaring at the guards. "Superman is nothing more than a crutch we have grown dependant on. And when that crutch is gone, we will stumble, we will fall, and it will burn beneath the sun. In those days we will endure suffering like we've never had too before; suffering bread from ignorance, cowardice, and apathy."

He flipped the board around so he was facing the black pieces again. The two guards remained still, having never moved an inch since he began speaking.

"It might seem heartless, but I look forward to those days," he continued. "Because whether you choose to admit it or not, when that day comes, you'll come to me, Lex Luthor. And when you are groveling at my feet on the other side of these prison walls, confessing your errors, begging for forgiveness, and calling upon me to guide you, I'll simply look back, and say…"

A blaring alarm sounded through the complex. Luthor stopped with his mouth hung open and the guards moved for the first time. Red lights flashed from the four corners of the room, and the guards flicked the safety's off their guns while pressing their fingers to their ears. Lex looked on, narrowing his eyebrows and feeling sweat break out on the top of his bald head.

"What's happening?" he asked assertively. "Is someone here?"

One of the guards looked as though he was about to answer, when a series of intense vibrations ripped through the prison. The chess board toppled over, sending the black and white game pieces flying everywhere. The guards stumbled against the walls. Lex was thrown against the glass wall. Lex watched as the guards muttered something to each other, and took off running.

"Wait!" Lex shouted. "Where are you going! You can't just leave me here."

There was a muffled sound followed by a rumbling. The guards had disappeared down the hall, but Lex could hear shouting from their direction. His mind whirled, assessing the situation. There had been an explosion, several actually, and they were continuing. There was another muffled explosion, followed by a soft rumble, and several blood curdling cries. Then, there came the loud explosions of gunshots as the shadows along the walls flickered like a strobe light. Round after round was fired off, following by screams and shouts.

The sounds drew closer, the flickering more intense, and the screams more desperate as they drew near the entrance to the hall leading to Lex's cell. Then, Lex's eyes widened as their was one final burst of light before everything became still. No more explosions, no more gunshots, no more yelling and screaming; just nothing.

Nothing until the sound of footsteps filled the hall, and a silhouette figure rounded the corner, heading for Lex. .

Lex backed away from the glass wall. His mind began racing as the figure drew near. However, his thoughts became as silent as the rest of the facility as the silhouette dropped away, revealing nothing more than a bald man of no particular impressive build.

The passed the threshold leading from the hallway into the chamber, and smiled pleasantly. "Ah, there you are," he said. He spared Lex only a quick glance before stepping in front of the glass plane. He began to eyes it over curiously, his hands folded behind his back, and his lips pressed together as though he were about to whistle.

"Yes, here I am," Lex said slowly and dryly. "And who are you, exactly?"

The man looked back to Lex. "Name's Lionel," he said with a casual greeting nod. "And I must say, it's a great honor to meet you."

Lex cocked an eyebrow. "Yes, it should be. Though you'll forgive me, I'm not used to being …appreciated."

The bald man chuckled slightly. "Well isn't that par for the course, as your saying goes. From what I can tell, most genius' are usually cast aside as mad in their day. It's not until long after their gone that their thinking and ideas are fully appreciated. I guess they're all just way ahead of their time."

Despite himself, Lex smiled.

"But, as much as I'd like too, we don't have time to make small talk," The bald man said. "It was an unscheduled detour to come here, and I can't afford to be late for my next appointment. So if you don't mind, please stand back."

Without waiting for a response, the bald man held a gloved hand against the glass. Lex barely had enough time to step back before he heard a small hum, and the glass shattered a moment later. Instinctively, Lex covered his face until the tingling of falling glass ceased. He was about to shout at the man, but found himself at a loss for words. All the walls had remained intact, except for the one the bald headed man, Lionel, had pressed his palm against.

"Come on then," Lionel said, gesturing for Lex to follow.

Lex stood still and glared at the man. "Not so fast," Lex said. "What is this?"

"This?" the bald man said, looking at the shattered glass at his feet. "Don't you know a breakout when you see one?"

"You're breaking me out of here?" Lex asked.

"Well of course," the bald man said. "You don't think I went to all this trouble just to meet you do you?"

"I can't…I can't break out of here," Lex said, angrily. "I'll go away for life when they catch me again." The bald man laughed. Lex pressed his lips together. "I don't see why you think its so funny."

"Well," the bald man said. "I don't actually. I'll just tell you this. I'm sure you've been thinking of ways to escape on your own, and you'll be happy to know that you succeed, in about two years from now. But by then," the bald man bobbed his head back and forth before shrugging. "Well it won't really be worth it to escape. However, come with me right now," he said smiling again. "And it'll be the best decision of your life."

Lex looked at the bald man skeptically. "How?" he asked.

The bald man extended a hand forward. "It's a long story, one I'll be happy to tell you along the way. For now, all you have to know is that if you come with me, the world will see you for the genius you are in your time."

Lex narrowed his eyes as he mulled it over. He had been here for a long time, and yes the bald man was right; he had been planning an escape. However, his escape still required a great amount of planning, years in fact. Years the world could not afford to loose his intellect too.

"Alright, lets go then," Lex said. The bald man smiled, and they left the glass prison and began making their way through the remains of the facility. Outside, Lex felt sweat form on his bald head and he squinted as he looked up into the bright desert sun. He tried to remember the last time he'd seen the sun. Meanwhile, the bald man had pressed a button on his wrist, causing a blue holographic looking disc to appear hovering a few feet off the ground.

"So…who did you say you were again?" Lex asked.

The bald man looked at Lex and smiled.

"Lionel," he said. "I was named after your father."

**Space**

"Clark, listen!"

I hear Bruce, but I don't pay attention. I'm flying through space, he knows I can't respond. As soon as I saw Diana on the viewer, I left. I didn't wait for a boom tube, I didn't wait for anyone to say anything.

"I know you don't want to listen to me Clark, but you need to think this through," Bruce continues. "This woman is dangerous, whoever she is. She beat Diana. Think about that."

I know. Damn it, I know! But right now, Bruce is the only one who knows about Diana and I. How he knows? Probably the same way he knows everything else. He always knows. He makes it his business to know.

"They either matched her in speed and strength, or knew some other way to fight her. A weakness, a weapon, something you could be unprepared for," he continues.

I've never had to worry about Diana's safety. She's the most powerful woman in the world, and as nearly invulnerable as I am. We've fought side by side many times over the years. At first we came to admire each other's strengths, then understood each other's loneliness, which brought us together. We've both been outsiders looking in, which is a very isolated way to live your life. Together thought, we don't feel so alone. Together, we feel we belong, if only with each other.

Once we came together, I came to love her strength, her passion, and above all else, her love for everything in the entire world. I never felt I would ever need to fly in and save her, and she'd probably punch me if I ever I tried.

"Don't engage her alone," Batman warns. "Vic and Arthur will meet you there I'm staying up here and going over satellite footage. You need to know what you'll be up against."

There is a small sonic boom as I breach the atmosphere and race towards the surface. I tune my super hearing, listening for anything from Diana's location. I hear shouts of panic, alarm, and confusion coupled with the same newscasters speaking live to their camera's. Seems like nothing's changed.

The world becomes bright, the air warm as I veer in the direction of the Florida coast. Once in range, I begin scanning the surface with my supervision. I spot them when I'm about 80 miles off shore. I zero in on them with my supervision and see Diana, laying unconscious on the ground with this woman standing over her. I pick up my pace.

Then another voice enters the comm. "Hey, Barry here."

My thoughts slip momentarily. Barry never uses the com unless its an absolute emergency.

"Flash, what is it?" Bruce asks.

"Well I've just had a very …weird… fight with some guy in Central City," Allen says.

"The assassination attempt?" Bruce asks.

"Yeah, how did you… never mind."

"Where are you headed now?" Bruce asks.

"Northeast," Barry replies. "I had to put out some fires before I could follow. Is there any chance you could use the satellite too…"

"He's heading for Metropolis," Bruce says before Barry can finish.

My eyes widen. Metropolis! No, it can't be. Why now? I don't know what an assassin from Central City would want in Metropolis. But still… I can't help of think of my friends, including… Lois. What would this assassin want there?

"Metropolis, Clark?" Bruce asks.

I hear his meaning loud and clear. He'd rather I go to Metropolis than fight this woman.

"I'm not far behind him," Barry says. "But this guy has a plan. I might need backup."

"I'll send Arthur," Bruce says. "And Clark…"

I land on the beach, hard. The sand explodes beneath my feet, creating a pillar which the wind blows in every direction.

"Bruce!" I say as the sand clears, and the silhouette of the woman materializes. "I got this."

The com goes silent; Bruce knows there's nothing more to say. The woman faces me in a ready position. She's large, too large to be natural, if she's human. Her garments are torn around the crevices of her muscles, her black hair is blowing wildly in the wind, and she's breathing heavy, as though anxious to face me.

At her feet is Diana. Bruised, scratched, and unconscious. My super hearing tells me that her breathing is labored and her heart rate has slowed, but not enough to be worried at the moment. However, she will need medical attention, and soon.

The sight of her makes my stomach tense. Its just too unbelievable. I've never seen Diana so… vulnerable before. I've never had anyone in my life like Diana. I've never wanted too. I've always been afraid that being Superman would bring too much risk for Clark Kent to be with anyone. So I've always kept my distance, always made sure there was a wall and a line no one could cross. It's cost me a lot, but with Diana, I felt I'd finally gained something.

The woman's arm muscles tense as she grips two swords; two familiar swords. With a closer look, I nearly gasp. The blades are Diana's. At least, one of them is. I can't tell which because they both look exactly alike. But that's not possible! Diana's sword is one of a kind, crafted by Hephaestus and blessed by the god's. It would be impossible to create a forgery from that kind of craftsmanship, and Hephaestus would never make a duplicate.

"Who are you?!" I shout.

The woman has kept her eyes firmly planted on me this entire time. She looks fierce, determined, and fearless; or at least she's trying her best to appear that way. With my super vision I see her throat tense as she swallows nervously. With my super hearing I can hear her heart pounding, and I can hear her breathing shaking.

So, she's afraid. That means she's not crazy, or stupid.

I wait for her answer, but all I get in reply is her raising her blades, and leaning back as if to strike.

When it becomes obvious she's not planning on speaking, I charge.

I'm on her almost a second later, fist raised and aimed for her gut. However, she's dropped to the sand, and my fist sails over her head. Lucky her I didn't strike at my full strength, or else I would have taken her head off.

She rolls to her left, and quickly raises the blades to her defense as I dash back to strike her again. I strike low this time, and she leaps. She leaps and flips over me and lands right beside Diana. So she's quick, and smart; anticipating each of my strikes.

I turn, but instead of racing towards her again, my eyes begin to glow red. Heat vision beams burst forth from my eyes aimed at her. Again, I'm holding back, my heat vision would sear through a human's flesh in an instant. I only want to stun her, cause her to react in pain before I dash towards her again.

However, she raises the two blades, and deflects my heat vision, back at me! It catches me by the temple, narrowly missing my eyes because I turned my head. It feels only like a pin prick, but it caught me off guard. A moment later I realized she caused me to be distracted as I had planned for her; the same moment the blade crashes against my Kryptonian battle suit.

My armor cracks and splinters, and I'm sent flying. She's strong, stronger than I expected. I feel as though the wind was knocked out of me, and my Kryptonian armor is convulsing as it tries to repair itself. As I struggle to get my bearings, my super hearing hears her running along the sand. I quickly roll to my right and leap to my feet, just as she brings her blade down where I was laying. I quickly back hand her, and she skips along the sand like a pebble in water.

She breaks her tumble with a roll, and is back on her feet as if she were merely doing somersaults. Before I even have a chance to be surprised that she's not even stunned, she charges me again. I cock my eyebrow; this isn't like her last attacks, this is reckless. However, as I sidestep her and prepare to strike her from behind again, she leaps and slides beneath me, striking me from below rather than above.

I managed to deflect her blade, but not the strike from the hilt with the other. The magic in the blade tears through me, just like it tore through my armor, and I hit the sand. Without giving me a second to breath, she dashes towards me and kicks me in the gut where my armor is still recovering. However, I move fast enough to catch her foot, and flip her end over end.

She lands, but quickly leaps to her feet again. We square up, preparing for each other's attacks, but neither willing to rush head in. Just then though, the ground begins to rumble, and the sound of a boom echoes behind me.

"Superman!" Cyborg says, snapping his arm cannon into place. "Let's do this!"

"Get to Wonder Woman," I shout behind me. "I'll keep her off you."

The woman's eyes dance between Vic and I. Panic has crept into her face; this must have been unexpected. However, as Vic takes off towards Diana, she dashes towards him. Though I've learned this woman seems to have a plan for everything, I quickly use my super speed and dash to a spot in her path.

Again, I'm made the fool. She stops mid run, takes something off her belt, and tosses it. It sails over my head as I'm unable to change my momentum in time to grab it. It lands in the sand near Vic and Diana, before emitting a flash of light.

Without making a sound, Vic suddenly becomes rigidly still, and collapses on the sand.

"Cyborg!" I shout. I can't hear his circuits, I can't hear what's left of his heart, I can't hear him breath.

"Clark! Don't worry about him, just stay focused!" Batman shouts in my ear.

His warning comes just in time as I barely catch the sound of her feet racing through the sand. Turning, I duck under the swipe of one blade, and softly leap over the low strike of the other. When I land, I let out a gasp of my super breath, which sends her flying.

She lands on the pavement of the sidewalk, splitting and cracking it as she does. It would be a perfect time to charge her, beat her unconscious into the ground, and end this fight. However, Vic is more of a concern for me.

"Come on, say something," I say to Vic as I land by his side. Diana isn't too far away, and her breathing and heart beat are still stable. But Vic… I don't even know what's happened to him. Meanwhile, my own Kryptonian Biotech armor is still convulsing from the magic of Diana's blade. Its making progress in repairing it self, but its slow and tedious.

"Don't worry about him," Bruce says in my ear.

"Batman, he's not breathing…"

"He was hit with a focused EMP blast," Bruce says. "In a few minutes his circuits will reset and repair and he'll be able to power up again."

Sometimes you hate Batman for all he knows, other times you love him.

"So he'll be fine?" I ask.

"Yes, he'll be fine."

"Good!" I say through clenched teeth as I rise to my feet and facing the woman.

Slowly, she's rising to her feet. She squares herself towards me again, raising the blades in front of her. However, this time she's visibly breathing heavy, and her heart is pumping furiously. She's showing exhaustion and even pain. So she does have a weakness after all.

It's time to end this, now. I need to get Vic and Diana back to the Watchtower. She's tired, exhausted, and perhaps learning she can't defeat me. Whenever you take away an opponents confidence you've just won the battle.

I charge her once last time. I expect she'll try to duck or jump again, try to use the blades on my blind side after I've passed over her. It won't work, I'm too fast, and she's too worn down.

However, she surprises me once more. Instead of ducking low, or trying to jump, she merely steps to the side. As I draw near, I see why. Beside her, is an open sewer gate. It's not part of the rubble, which means it was open before we began to fight. Just as I'm about to meet her, she takes a step forward, and falls into the darkness below.

Without hesitating, I fly after her.

"Clark, wait!" Batman shouts. "You're flying into a trap."

**Metropolis**

"Flash, Eta?"

"I running into the city now," Barry replied as he passed through the Metropolis city limits and began weaving in and out of the afternoon traffic.

"Any idea where this guy is going yet?" Arthur asked.

Barry quickly opened himself up the Speed Force and expanded his vibration sensory field. The broad shouldered man was only about five minutes ahead of him, but that meant he could be anywhere in Metropolis. It had only taken Barry a few minutes to put of the fires and make sure the civilians were safe, but those few minutes were a matter of miles with this man's speed. Barry had immediately set off after him, and Batman had tracked him on satellite. The broad shouldered man had headed for Metropolis, and Superman was busy in Florida with a woman who'd defeated Diana.

"City Hall?" Barry said. "He went after Mayor Trambeline. Maybe…" he stopped, letting his voice trail off.

Recalling how he'd stopped the man from killing Mayor Trambeline, Barry couldn't help but remember the look in the broad shouldered man's eyes.

"Don't think so," Arthur said. "Bruce says Metropolis' mayor isn't even in town today."

Barry bit his lip. The Mayor was out, so what else did that leave? He thought about asking if there was another high profile political figure in the city, but stopped. In an brief instant that Barry had seen only because the world slowed down to a crawl whenever he ran, the broad shouldered man had taken his finger off the trigger.

"Alright… check the emergency lines, see if there are any urgent calls or emergencies," Barry said.

"It's Metropolis," Arthur replied. "There's a call to 911 every thirty seconds."

Barry bit his lip as he turned into the downtown area. He zipped around the cars, all the while keeping his sensory field from the Speed Force open. Metropolis was a chaotic mess compared to Central City, but that was because Barry didn't know this city. Still, he'd followed the broad shouldered man's vibrations across the country without a problem. It wouldn't take too long to filter through all the strange vibrations of Metropolis' and find his. Barry just hoped he had that much time to spare.

"Any other high profile political figures?" Barry asked. "Trambeline is one of those guys coming out strong against us. I've heard he has Presidential aspirations, and well lets face it, the countries mood is turning against us."

"I'll take a look," Arthur replied.

The broad shouldered man wouldn't be the first to take issue with a politician trying to make a quick jump in his career at the expense of Meta-humans, particularly the Justice League. There had also been meta-human's who were less … diplomatic… in how they dealt with such politicians. However, Barry remembered their little talk after he had stepped in between the broad shouldered man and Mayor Trambeline. The broad shouldered man had been remorseful, sincere, even relieved that Barry had stopped him. Furthermore, the bombs he'd planted as a distraction would not have hurt anyone and caused minimal damage.

Time was passing slowly as he dashed through the Metropolis streets, giving Barry time to sort through the facts. Using his forensic and police training, Barry tried to assess the situation, going over the facts and figures from an objective point of view, and trying to determine a sense of what this man was after, and perhaps why.

But each time Barry ran through the facts, he always arrived at the same conclusion; this man was not a killer.

"We may not know exactly what he wants till he gets there, so just… be ready," Barry said.

He heard a sigh on the other end of his communicator. "If you say so," Aquaman said. He was not known for patience.

So far, Barry still could not pick up the broad shouldered man's trail. Barry was just too unfamiliar with Metropolis that he couldn't even tell the difference between a subway car skidding to a halt, or a dog barking. He needed to slow down, and search the city bit by bit. Barry bit his lip, he didn't have time for this.

Seeing a building he knew to be friendly, or at least hoped, Barry quickly veered from the busy downtown traffic. He began racing around the building walls until he reached the giant globe of the Daily Planet building.

"Find him yet?" Arthur asked.

"Not yet… still looking," Barry said as he perched himself down on top of the globe.

"Last I saw on satellite he entered the city and headed west."

West! A good place to start. Barry honed his perception to the west, blocking out almost two thirds of the city. It was much easier to distinguish the different vibrations this way, yet still unfamiliar and chaotic.

"I'm trying to go over the satellite footage as best I can," Arthur said. "But I loose him once he enters the city."

Barry dashed of the rooftop of the Daily Planet and began weaving through the streets again. "That means he must have slowed down," Barry said as he climbed up the tallest building in Metropolis; the GCN building.

He re-opened his sensory field and began sorting through the vibrations again. However, this time, he didn't look for the strong vibrations a Speedster would make, but something more subtle that would seem out of place. He frowned upon realizing everything seemed out of place.

"So what should we be looking for?" Arthur asked.

"I don't know," Barry said as he closed his field and ran off the GCN building. He continued heading westward, and dashed up to the top of the LexCorp building. "The fires he started in Central City were meant as a distraction. See if there's anything going on that could seem like something likely to draw Superman out."

"Clark?"

"We're in his city, so I'm guessing whatever this guy planned had Superman in mind," Barry said.

"If I were him, I'd be trying my best not to draw Clark's attention."

Barry's eyes went wide. "That's it!" he said .

"What?"

"See if there are any false alarms being reported," Barry said.

"False alarms?"

"Yeah we get them all the time," Barry continued as he raced down the LexCorp building and onto the streets again. He began to head west again, zipping in and out of alleys and over and around buildings. "You know, like when fire alarms go off in dorm room because someone burnt popcorn, or a glitch in a computer system causes sprinklers to go off when there isn't a fire. Fire and police are usually automatically notified and you have to call them off so they don't come. However, most of the time you still have to evacuate the buildings until the alarms or sprinklers are turned off."

"I see…"

"Clark would be there in an instant if there was a fire, flood, break in, whatever," Barry said. "But if he heard from the police it was a false alarm, he wouldn't show. That's what our guy is counting on."

"I think I found him," Arthur said.

"Where?" Barry asked, speeding onto the rooftops so he could easily head in any direction.

"S.T.A.R. Labs," Arthur said. "The fire sprinklers were set off about four minutes ago. Fire and police were about to be dispatched before S.T.A.R. called them off saying a computer glitch caused the sprinklers and alarms to off."

"That's our guy!" Barry said, quickly veering off in the direction of Metropolis' local S.T.A.R. lab's facility. ere were over twenty S.T.A.R. lab facilities in the world, each with a different specialization. Barry knew where Metropolis' was, everyone did. "How did he manage that by the way?" Barry asked.

"Looks like he hacked in," Arthur replied.

"Wow, this guys got balls."

S.T.A.R. labs was protected by some of the most advanced cyber security in the world. Most cyber criminals knew enough to not even try to hack into it; it was only inviting trouble. Barry turned down the street where S.T.A.R. labs was located. To his satisfaction, he saw most of the employee's were standing outside the building.

"Looks like he succeeded," Barry said. "Everyone's evacuated, any chance you can lock down where he's hacking in from?"

"I don't know, outside somewhere," Arthur replied. Barry frowned. Arthur was wasn't as savvy with a computer as Vic or Batman was. "But when I boom down, we'll tear the place apart looking for him. I'll meet you outside."

"No, wait…" Barry said.

"We don't have time to wait," Arthur replied as the com went dead.

Barry opened himself up further to the Speed Force as he began circling the building. The world slowed down to a crawl again while Barry's perceptions stayed up to speed. This gave him time to think, and hopefully find the broad shouldered.

In the borrowed time he had, Barry went over the facts again. He let the events of Central City run through his mind again, trying to make sure he was one hundred percent confident in his assessment. Once again, he came to the same conclusion. Barry hoped he could convince the broad shouldered man to come in peacefully.

He circled around the building once, and saw nothing unusual. So he circled it again, and again, each time finding nothing out of the ordinary. Barry re-opened his sensory field to the Speed Force, but couldn't sort through the vibrations to see if anything was out of place.

Only a few seconds had passed in normal space-time as he rounded the building for a fourth time. However, time was running short and Arthur would be there soon. Barry had to find the broad shouldered man before that.

He circled for a fifth time, expanding his sensory field even wider, but still unsure what to look for. Then he thought of something. If the broad shouldered man was hacking into S.T.A.R. labs onsite, but not within the building, there was only one place he could be. Barry veered away from the building towards S.T.A.R. labs power generators. They were kept further away from the building, and as Barry expanded his sensory field again, he found him.

The broad shouldered man was hunched out of site behind one of towers. For any passerby, he would look like a simple hobo trying to keep warm. But cradled in his arms was what looked like an I-pad device, which the broad shouldered man was typing furiously on.

Wanting to test his theory, Barry quickly dashed past him and snatched the device out of his hands. The broad shouldered man leapt to his feet, his eyes wide with panic.

"Hey there," Barry said charmingly. He'd stopped atop one of the towers, waving the device in his hands. The panic look in the broad shouldered man's eyes faded, yet a sense of urgency remained.

"Mr. Allen," he said, sounding surprised to see Barry, yet also like a genuinely nice guy.

Barry nodded slightly, and looked at the device. It was filled with graphics that looked completely alien to him. "What's this…" he began, but before he could finish, there was a blur before his eyes, and the device was gone. Turning, Barry saw the broad shouldered man standing on another tower, the device back in his hands.

"This…" the broad shouldered man said, waving the device. "…is not something to amuse yourself with."

"I wasn't looking to be amused," Barry replied. "I was looking for you, however, and now that I found you I think you and I should have a little chat."

"I don't think we have anything more to talk about."

"But you see, there is," Barry replied. "Let me start off by saying, though, that I'm not looking to fight you…"

"Neither am I Mr. Allen. As I said in Central City, I'm not your enemy."

"And you know what, I believe you, I really do," Barry said, genuinely. "But not everyone else does. A friend of mine will be here in a few seconds to take you in."

"Then I suggest we end this now," the broad shouldered man said. "I won't be captured, and I will not go with you willingly. I have a mission to complete, and if you do not help me, then you must stand..."

In the blink of an eye, Barry dashed past the broad shouldered man, snatching the device from his hands again.

"I can't do that," Barry said, coming to a halt. He quickly opened himself up to the Speed Force. If the broad shouldered man tried to take the device back from him again, Barry would see it in plenty of time. "I don't know who you are, or where you're from, but here's what I do know. There was a break in at A.R.G.U.S., an assassination attempt in Central City, Wonder Woman was beaten in a fight, and now you've tried to hack into Star Labs. You know who I am, you know what I do, so you know I'm going to put the pieces together."

"And you should know that I take no joy in what we're doing," the broad shouldered man replied. "But they are necessary, as is our mission, and I stand firmly behind them."

"What mission?"

"I can't say anything more, perhaps I've said too much already."

"No," Barry said, desperately. The look the broad shouldered man had in his eyes now was the same he had when he hesitated to pull the trigger in Central City. "The more you tell me now, the more I can help you. What you're doing doesn't make any sense to me, but I want to understand. You're not a killer or a terrorist. I'm guessing you're not even a violent person. You're certainly not the common variety deranged psychopathic super-villain I'm used to facing. Your a perfectly normal, rational, human being. And you don't like what you're doing, this mission or whatever. So talk to me, lets figure this out."

Letting out a long withdrawn sigh, the broad shouldered man brought his eyes to meet Barry's. Once again, they were filled with hesitation, regret, and remorse.

"I am sorry Mr. Allen," he said. "But as I said before, I stand behind our mission, as regrettable as our actions are."

Then, the man leapt towards Barry. He was fast, fast even for Barry to sense in the Speed Force. Once again though, there was no presence of this man within the Speed Force, meaning Barry's theory had proven true; this man wasn't a Speedster. However, he was still fast, and Barry just had enough time to pull the device out of the man's reach before…

Barry lurched back as a fist connected with his jaw. The broad shouldered man hadn't been aiming for the device, but for Barry. The blow sent Barry flying, but he was able to recover and land on his feet. However, just as he was about to start running, he was struck by another blow. Skipping like a rock on water, Barry bounced along the paved streets before his momentum was stopped by a parked car. People all around began yelling and screaming, adding to the noise and confusion of S.T.A.R. lab employee's evacuated outside.

The accelerated healing from the Speed Force kicked in, and Barry felt several bones and cuts begin to mend. However, his head was spinning, and he didn't have a chance to see the broad shouldered man as he raced past him, taking the device from Barry again.

It was only a second or two before Barry could find his footing and begin racing after the broad shouldered man. But several miles were placed between them within that second. Barry followed the man's vibrations through Metropolis, thankful that the man was choosing to stick to the rooftops. Opening himself as much as possible to the Speed Force, Barry raced after him, leaping from roof to roof, and gaining on him quickly.

The two ran side by side, matching stride for stride, leap for leap. "Whatever your mission is, there's got to be another way," Barry said, desperately.

"I'm afraid there is not," the broad shouldered man said, as they began descending down one skyscraper. "But you have nothing to worry about," he continued as they raced onto the streets. "My objective with Star Labs is complete."

"What!?" Barry shouted, eyes growing wide and fighting a rising urge to turn back to S.T.A.R. labs to see what had been done. "In case you are worried, no one's been hurt," he continued. "My objective was only to delete their entire research database regarding a cold fusion reactor."

Barry gasped. "Cold fusion!" he shouted as they raced up the Lexcorp building. "But that's impossible! Everyone's been trying to develop cold fusion since the Manhattan Project."

"Star Labs has made great strides in cold fusion research in recent years," the broad shouldered man said. "And in approximately two years from now, they will succeed. Or would have."

They leapt from the Lexcorp building onto a highway bridge which connected several interstate highways leading in and out of Metropolis.

"What do you mean 'would have'?" Barry asked, his mind turning as fast as his legs were.

The broad shouldered man leapt from bridge to bridge, with Barry hot on his heals, but unable to catch him. "By deleting their research, I've set them back fifteen years of research, and close to one trillion dollars. It is doubtful the project will be continued, which is in your best interest."

"What… how… who are you?"

"I never wanted anyone to be hurt, and thanks to you I have succeeded," the man said. "I must leave now, for I can't afford to be late to my next objective."

He landed on the lowest bridge and began heading north along the interstate. They weaved in and out traffic, running at speeds Barry had rarely seen in anyone but himself.

"Why?!" Barry shouted as they neared the Metropolis city limits. "Why did you…"

"I don't have time to answer your questions," the man said. "But to ensure you that I mean no further harm to anyone, here…"

The man took the device and tossed it like a Frisbee. It sailed far off before crashing onto the pavement of an underpass where it shattered into a thousand pieces.

Barry watched, stunned, and the broad shouldered man continued over his shoulder. "As I said before, I hope we do not meet again," he said. "I do not like to think of us as enemies, and the last thing I'd ever want to do is fight you."

"But wait…"

They passed the city limits and began to run into the Kansas country side. The concrete jungle of Metropolis was replaced by the rolling hills of cornfields and forests. The roads reduced from seven lanes into two, and a quiet calm filled their air.

"Barry where are you?" Arthur's voice came over the comm.

"Um, can't answer that just now," Barry replied.

"You started running, didn't you."

Barry didn't answer, instead he tried to keep his pace with the broad shouldered man.

However, the broad shouldered man suddenly left the road. Veering north, he began heading for a vast stretch of empty farm land that stretched as far off into the horizon as Barry could see. Without hesitation, Barry followed, trying to open himself further for the Speed Force.

To any bystanders, they appeared as nothing more than two lines of dust. The soft ground made it harder for Barry to gain traction, and he felt himself begin to lag. However, the same was true for the broad shouldered man.

This gave him an idea. Aiming a few paces ahead of the broad shouldered man, Barry began to circle his arms. Mini cyclones appeared from the tips of his hands, speeding towards the area ahead of the man. The idea was to disrupt the ground ahead of the man, causing him to loose his balance and stumble. Once he did, Barry would be on him.

However as the mini cyclones sped towards their destination, the broad shouldered man leapt forward. The cyclones struck the ground where Barry had directed them, but the broad shouldered man sailed harmlessly over them. Meanwhile, the broad shouldered man had turned himself mid-air. Pointing his arms at Barry, he pressed a button on his belt.

The world began to pulse around Barry in circular waves before it began spinning wildly out of control. His bearings, balance, traction, and control over the Speed Force were suddenly wild and erratic. The Speed Force flew wildly through him as he tripped over his own feet, and began tumbling through the cornfields like a pebble in an avalanche.

"Ahh!" Barry shouted.

"Barry! What's happening?!" Arthur said.

Barry continued to skip end over end until he came to a pond. The water broke his fall, but the world still spun wildly out of his control. Though the pond was only a few feet deep, Barry struggled to find the surface as his lungs began to scream for air. He pumped his arms and legs furiously, until finally he burst through to the surface.

To his own surprise, and relief, Barry managed to plant his feet firmly on the ponds bottom, before slowly finding his way towards the shore. He tripped and stumbled several times, but eventually managed to crawl out of the pond. He collapsed on the shore, and closed his eyes.

"Barry! Barry!" Arthur shouted through the com.

"Yeah, I'm here," he said, breathlessly. His body was quivering all over, telling Barry it was trying to reconnect itself to the Speed Force. As the spinning began to subside, he felt his body slowly reconnect with the Speed Force. It would take time to get back to full speed, but for now at least his accelerated healing had kicked in.

"What happened?" Arthur asked.

"I don't know," Barry said. "He hit me with some kind of pulse weapon. Threw off my equilibrium, caused me to vibrate in all sorts of strange ways. I've never felt anything like it before."

"I've got your signal and I'm swimming up the harbor now," Arthur said. "I should be there soon. You going to be alright?"

"Yeah, in a bit."

"Good," Arthur replied. "Did you see which way he went?"

Barry opened his mouth, but closed it. Even as the Speed Force returned, it would be a while before he was up to full speed, and by then, the man would long gone in whatever direction he had settled on.

**Florida**

The air is cold and damp and filled with the rotten stench of sewage. If anyone else had my super nose, they would gag and pass out. If this is a trap, she picked a good place for it.

"You matched her with strength and speed," Batman says. "And she wasn't able to make much with Diana's sword. She making you follow her into a tight, narrow, area, so your flight and speed will be nearly worthless "

"Not completely," I reply.

"I won't be able to follow you on satellite, either."

"Then we'll make due without

"The gas lines for the city run through the sewers," Bruce continues. "One spark from your heat vision will light up eight city blocks."

"Ok, no heat vision either."

I land and begin searching the area. My super hearing immediately picks up the rapid pitter patter of someone running through water. I dash after her, quickly but carefully, skimming along the surface of the foot deep water. I can hear her changing directions often as if she's trying to loose me in this maze of a sewer system.

"Can you see her?" Batman asks.

I try to focus my supervision through the walls in the direction of her footsteps. "Damn."

"Lead pipes?" Batman asks as if he already suspected.

I don't answer, I'm not in the mood too. I fight the urge to think of Diana, to run back to her. Its very difficult, especially since I've made it my life to save people in trouble. But then I picture her scolding me afterwards, and smile. Diana would hate me if let this woman get away, especially if it was because I was worried about her.

"Alright Bruce," I say, slowing myself for a second. "So you know this is a trap, what should I expect?"

"She's done everything she can to level the playing field," Bruce replies. "Leading you to a place where your strengths are practically useless, while hers will be stronger. Plus, she's taking advantage of your greatest weakness."

"What's that?" I ask.

"She knows you won't kill her."

"I don't consider that a weakness, Bruce," I reply, curtly.

"She does."

Silence fills the com as I continue chasing after her. I can almost picture Bruce in the watchtower. The silence I hear now mean's he's thinking, which is what he does best. While the rest of us rely on our powers, he relies on his mind. He's a detective at heart, possibly the worlds best. He never goes into a situation without knowing just about everything there is to know. He studies everything from every perspective; its pretty impressive. He learns to think like his enemies, anticipate their every move, and outwit them often at their own game.

I think its driven him slightly mad, but then again, that's what makes him Batman.

"Hey, guys, anyone there."

"Vic?" I say quickly taking another direction.

"Yeah.. I'm here …with Diana."

"How is she?" I ask, trying to keep my voice even.

"Good, actually," he replies. "Besides a somewhat nasty wound to the head, her vitals are reading perfectly normal."

"What's about the device attached to her?" I ask.

"Not sure man, but I think its what's keeping her unconscious."

"Can you take it off?"

"No, don't!" Bruce growls. "Cyborg, get to the sewers, Superman needs you."

"What about Di…"

"She'll be fine!" Bruce says, louder. "We should bring her back to the Watchtower before we try to remove whatever that device is anyway."

"Bruce, I can handle…"

"No, you can't," Bruce says, sternly. "Vic get in there and help, now."

"Um, ok, right," Vic says before his com goes silent.

My jaw clenches as the silence becomes deafening. I can still hear the woman, the pitter pattering of her feet as she dashes through the sewers. Oddly, her pace doesn't seem to be slowing ,and she's continuing to change directions as much as possible. If the turns weren't so frequent I would have caught her by now. However, I am gaining, and even though I can't see her through these lead lined walls, I can almost pinpoint her position through my super hearing. And right now, I can hear her just on the other side of the tunnel I'm in now.

"Tell Vic to stay with Diana," I say. "This won't take long."

"Clark! Wait!"

I don't wait. I act.

A gaping hole of rubble and dust is created as my fist meets the wall. I walk through, fists clenched at my sides, and eyes lit and ready. I listen for her, waiting to hear a startled cry, a leap in heart rate, even a sudden intake of air. But there's nothing. And as the dust settles, I see why.

She's standing with her back against the wall, perfectly still, her eyes locked on me with a fierce gaze. Our eyes meet, and my nose picks up a pungent odor which is quickly permeating the air. An odor of sulfur and methane. I step back and quickly defuse my eyes.

"She's punched a hole in the gas main, hasn't she," Bruce says. She has. The gas lines are running along the wall she's standing in front of. Just to her right is a hole the size of a fist, and I can hear the gas venting from it. "One spark of your heat vision and the gas lines of eight city blocks will explode." he adds.

I step back and curse myself quietly for being so head strong. The woman keeps her eyes on me, and slowly draws Diana's sword with one hand, and holds the other in front of her. My mind goes blank as a soft glow from a glimmering ring pierces through the sewer darkness; a green glimmering ring.

It only takes a second for the familiar trembles to spread through my body. My shoulders suddenly feel heavy, my eyes suddenly blurry, and my breathing labored. I stumble over some rubble as I try to leave through the hole I created. She sees me stumble, and doesn't waist any time.

She charges, and in the next moment I crash into the wall. My chin is throbbing, my heart racing, and a fresh wave of trembles courses through me as I'm kicked off my feet.

I topple over and land face first in the water. My vision is spinning, and I can't even string my thoughts together. All I can think of is what I can't do. I can't use my heat vision, I can't fly, I can't use my strength. Then I realize as I'm grabbed by the cuff of my Kryptonian battle suit; this was the trap.

She hurls me through the wall.

My legs are weak and shaky, and just as I manage to get to my feet, she's on me again. She punches me again, the Kryptonite ring smashing right into my chest. I gasp as the wind is knocked out of me and my Kryptonian armor starts to lurch. She punches me again, and again, and again. Each time connecting with the ring, each time causing the Kryptonian armor to become weaker, each time causing me to grow weaker.

"What…do… you …want?" I try to ask.

She responds only with her fist, and I'm sent skidding down the tunnel.

I land with a hard crash. I feel so tired, so weak, but I have to fight on. Whoever this woman is, she's defeated Diana, and now she's about to beat me. If she can beat us, who knows what else she can do, what she's fully capable of. My arms and legs cry out in protest, but with what feels like my last ounce of strength I get on my feet.

Turning to face her, I half expect to be met with another punch, or kick, or perhaps even Diana's sword which could easily finish me off by now. However, I'm met with nothing, and as my vision slowly comes into focus, I see why.

She's trying to make her way towards me, but she's trembling. Her eyes are still locked on mine, with a fierce and determined look that says she's beyond determined to kill me. But, not only is she trembling, but her heart is pounding, she's sweating profusely, and she's… becoming smaller?

"No…" she gasps. "Not…now. I have …to finish…this…now!"

Her muscles which had once been inhumanly large, are literally shrinking before my eyes. Within a few moments, this woman looks… normal. Diana's blade falls to the ground with a loud crash as it suddenly seems to heavy for her to carry. However, her other hand, the one with the ring, is still held steadily towards me.

"Where…did…you…" I try to ask, angrily, but the effort is to great to finish.

"This is… the price…of tomorrow…" she gasps.

"The same place she got Diana's blade," Bruce says through the com.

I clench my fist.

"…You…?"

"No Clark," Bruce says firmly. "I've already had Alfred check. The one you gave me is still safe and secure in the Batcave."

With a cry she charges me again. Drawing back the fist with the Green K ring, she lunges at me. I don't have the strength to fight her, and as the ring nears I can feel the Kryptonite begin to ravage my body again. Thankfully, all I need is to side step her. Her fist goes wide, and she gasps as if she put all her strength into that punch.

Seeing an opportunity, I try to strike. But she quickly spins and backhands me, knocking off my feet again. Blood fills my mouth.

When Lex Luthor found out about my weakness to Kryptonite, he made a Green Kryptonite ring. He used to wear as a way to protect himself, from me. However, I was able to steal the ring away from him the last time I captured him. The ring was a very clever, yet simple, idea, and it wasn't hard for me to imagine there may be others who would have the same idea.

I've tried to keep track of every source of Kryptonite in the world, and with Bruce's help, I've found most if not all of them. I've always kept a look out for other disguises for Kryptonite like Lex's ring, but so far, I haven't come across any. So where did this woman get this ring?

"Clark, what's happening?" Bruce asks.

I choke down a gag. Not from the amount of blood, but from the shock that I'm actually bleeding. Meanwhile, she's bent over, gasping with each breath, and trembling. She looks ravaged, but she holds the ring as if her very life depended on it.

"I'm… I'm…"

"Hang on, Vic will be there soon."

I'm not sure how much time I have. However, I'm not sure how much she has either. I've never placed faith in luck before, never had too actually, but perhaps I'm getting it now when I actually need it. She lurches suddenly, buckling at the knees and gasping for air. The ring falls slightly, its an opening, and I charge.

I can only move as fast as a normal human, which isn't the kind of luck I was hoping for. She sees me charge, and manages to gather one last bit of strength. Reaching back, she throws one final punch at me as I try to strike her. She ducks slightly, and my fist sails over her head. Hers on the other hand, gets me right in the jaw.

I'm knocked off my feet with a fresh wave of pain and trembles. I land, hard, and I'm not sure I'll have the strength to get up this time. Still, I have to try, I don't know how to give up. But before I can even lift myself, she falls on me.

I'm slammed back into the ground. She's passed out, and barely breathing. Her body feels like it weighs a ton, and try as I might, I can't lift her. Making things worse, she landed with the Kryptonite ring placed directly on my chest, perhaps her last strike before passing out. I feel its poison ripping through my body, and I try as I might, I can't lift her.

Her last punch must have taken everything left in her. Her breathing is shallow and labored, and her heart is beating slowly. But none of this matters black spots began to creep into the corner of my vision, my thoughts become scattered, and I'm finding it increasingly difficult to breath myself.

"Clark? Clark!" Bruce yells. But his voice seems faint, and distant. "Clark answer me! What's happening? Vic, where are you?"

I don't recognize the voice that's speaking to me now, or the one that replies. Their speaking of things I know nothing of, things I don't care anything about. All I want to do now is close my eyes, and go to sleep.

The black spots swarm the rest of my vision, and my eyes feel heavy. And as blackness takes a hold of my vision, and my pain suddenly melts away. Even the trembling stops as I become weightless, and free. Its so quiet, so empty, so…peaceful; until a bright light rips through the darkness, and all my senses suddenly become on fire.

I blink rapidly and as my vision clears, the familiar face of Cyborg appears.

"Superman!" he says. A weight is lifted off me as Vic takes the woman and quickly tosses her aside. The trembling and pain returns with a vengeance, and I start to cough and gag as Vic helps me sit up. "Easy, easy," he says. "Just take it slow."

"No…" I reply. "The… the…"

"Vic, take care of the ring on her finger," I hear Bruce say.

"Right, way ahead of you," Vic replies as he leaves me and dashes towards her.

A moment later, I feel as though I've been released from the clutches of a giant vice. I gasp as I can finally take a normal breath, which helps the trembling subside as the Green K radiation dissipates.

It doesn't take long, it never does. As quickly as the Green K can weaken me, my strength can returns just as fast. It'll be a while before I'm at full strength, perhaps an hour or so, but for now I'll be ok. In the mean time, we have a lot to figure out.

When I'm able to stand, I see Vic is still hovering over the woman. I check her finger, and the Green K ring is gone; most likely kept in one of Vic's lead lined storage compartments. However, the two swords are near her.

"Who is she?" Vic asks.

"I don't know," I reply.

Shaking his head, Vic says in a serious tone, "She took out Wonder Woman, and almost you."

"Yeah," I reply. "Almost." The truth is, she nearly killed me. I've never been that close to death before.

"We need to regroup," Bruce says. "Grab her and Diana and get up here immediately," he adds, impatiently. This, is unnerving, because Bruce is worried. He takes every situation very seriously, often more so than needed, but is rarely worried.

"You know who she is, don't you?" I ask.

"I… have my suspicions," he replies.

"What aren't you telling me Batman?" I ask.

"I'll tell you everything, once you're all back at the Watchtower, and she's under heavy guard."

**The Arctic **

**Lex wrapped his garments tightly around him and tried to control his shivering. It was cold, damn cold, the Arctic was no place for human beings, yet this was where Lionel, the bald headed man who'd sprung him prison, had taken him.**

"**How much long are we going to wait in this god forsaken place?" Lex asked, impatiently. **

"**Relax," Lionel said casually. They were sitting by a small fire Lionel had made. And while Lex was miserably cold, Lionel seemed perfectly fine. "There's no rush. We've made it here, intact, and that's really the most important thing."**

"**And what about this associate you spoke of?" Lex demanded. "I thought you were worried about being late!" **

**He shrugged. "I was, but I guess I didn't have too," Lionel replied. **

"**Your not worried in the slightest?!" Lex said. "You broke into a high security prison and helped me, someone whose considered the worlds most danger criminal though I resent that title, escape. By now every single law enforcement agent in the United States, North America, or perhaps even the entire world has been alerted. They'll be looking for me, very thoroughly, and by now they know who you and any associates you have are. Aren't you worried your associate has been found, captured, or even killed?!"**

**Poking the fire, Lionel laughed quietly to himself. "Oh no, not this one."**

"**At least tell me why we must wait," Lex said. "Can't we just proceed without him?"**

**Lionel stopped poking the fire, and held his hand up firmly. "No," he said flatly. "My associate is completely necessary to the next phase of our mission. You see, it's not that I don't want to proceed without him, it's just… well we really can't."**

"**Why!" **

**Lionel was about to answer, but stopped as a soft sonic boom echoed south of them. Lionel looked in the direction of the boom, and smiled. **

"**Ah, here he comes," he said. Turning to Lex, he smiled slyly. "Like I said, nothing to worry about."**

**Lex eyed Lionel cautiously as he stood up and began waving his arm back and forth. Lex didn't know who Lionel was waiting for, and it made him grind his teeth. Lex hated meeting anyone for the first time he didn't know about. It made him feel unprepared, vulnerable, and most egregious of all, out of control. Though Lex was happy to be out of prison, he had hated nearly every moment he'd spent with Lionel since. **

**Lionel had baited Lex into traveling with him to the middle of nowhere, the Arctic. In what Lex was sure was intentional, Lionel hadn't told Lex their destination as they traveled north. There's no way Lex would have ever come if he'd known this was where they were going. **

**But Lex didn't feel there was any other choice at the time, and Lionel had promised Lex something he couldn't resist; information. Lionel had promised to explain to Lex who he was, where he came from, and what his intentions were. And Lionel did tell a most outrageous story. **

**With more detail than Lex could possibly believe was simply made up, Lionel had explained everything about who he was, what his plan was, and perhaps most outrageous of all, where he was from. As wild and unbelievable as the story was, Lionel had told it without much flare or exaggeration; at least none that Lex could detect. In other words, by Lex's best guess, Lionel's story was so outrageous and unbelievable, it had to be true. Or at least Lionel believed it to be true with a madman's conviction. However, since they'd arrived in the arctic, they'd done nothing but wait, and freeze. With each moment that passed without Lionel's associate arriving, doubt had begun to grow in Lex's mind. But as Lex watched Lionel, he detected no signs of deception. On top of that, Lionel never once seemed impatient or worried. But no matter what Lex thought of Lionel, there was nothing he could do anymore. He was trapped here, thanks to his own foolishness, and he'd just have to wait with Lionel and see how things played out. **

**However, as a white streak advanced towards them, traveling at a speed nearly as fast as anything Lex had ever seen, he began to hope his time with Lionel hadn't been wasted, or foolish. **

**Snow and ice dust scattered in the air as the white streak approached, but slowed as it reached them. Lex squinted his eyes and cocked his head as a man with dark hair and broad shoulders came to a halt in front of them. **

**Lionel stepped forward and spread his arms Jovially. "Ah, Caelus," he said. "You made it, I was almost beginning to worry. Things go well in Central City and Metropolis?"**

**The broad shouldered man, or Caelus as Lionel called him, brushed some snow and ice dust from his dark garments. He gave Lionel a cold look, which Lex took as a hint that Caelus didn't fully trust Lionel. Ignoring Lionel's question, Caelus turned to Lex. **

"**Who's this?" Caelus asked. **

"**An unfortunate stray," Lionel replied, innocently. **

"**This wasn't part of the plan…"**

"**I know, I know," Lionel said, throwing up his hands defensively. "And we'll figure out what to do about it later. But this man," Lionel said with overdramatic sympathy. "He has a wife and kids, and was in harms way. I couldn't let him get hurt, or die, so I brought him along for the time being. It's not like he's a risk to us up here, and if we succeed it won't matter what he saw of us anyway."**

**Caelus looked at Lex fiercely, and Lex felt as though his very soul was being peered into. Lex fought the urge to sigh and roll his eyes after hearing Lionel's cover story. Instead, he tried to gauge what the appropriate response from a normal human would be. Nervous? Scared? It would have been helpful if Lionel had told him this story ahead of time. However, being aware that Lex couldn't afford to be mad now, he simply tried his best to appear calm and brave on the outside, but scared to death on the inside. **

**Lex found it difficult, however, as Caelus bore into him. The man's stare was deep, penetrating, and most unnerving of all, familiar. Lex could almost picture another staring at him in exactly the same manner. However, he couldn't quite place who. **

"**Well then, we should proceed eh," Lionel said, slapping Caelus on the shoulder in a brotherly fashion. "This one hasn't caused me any trouble so far, and now that you're here I'm worried even less."**

**Lionel stepped away from Caelus and Lex and began to gather the few supplies he'd carried with him. Both Lex and Caelus' eyes shifted between Lionel and each other. Once the supplies were gathered up, Lionel replaced his pack within his garments and began walking along the frozen tundra, whistling a tune Lex had never heard before. **

**Once he had put some distance between Lex and Caelus, Lionel shouted over his shoulder, "Come on then! Should be right over this ridge, and I don't want to be out here when the Sun should fall yeah!" "What's over the ridge?" Lex asked. But Lionel didn't answer. Lex narrowed his eyes and stared at Lionel until he felt a nudge from behind. Turning, he saw Caelus, motioning for Lex to start moving. **

**The two walked in tense silence to where Lionel was. Lionel was standing at the end of a ridge, staring into the space below. Lex watched Lionel curiously, wondering what could be so interesting way out here in the middle of an arctic wasteland. However, when Lex reached the ledge with Caelus, his question was answered, and he found himself staring with wide eyes. **

"**My god," Lex said, aghast. **

"**Really is a magnificent sight, isn't eh," Lionel said. **

**Caelus moved in beside them and stared into the space below as well. However, he remained silent, and stared not with wonder or excitement, but with more of a longing. **

"**Heh, this place is something of a legend where we come from," Lionel said. **

"**Here too, actually," Lex said airily. **

**Below them was a place Lex knew very well, but only by reputation. He'd heard of this place, searched for it, and had spent part of each day of his imprisonment obsessing over it. Now that he was here, he could hardly believe it. He was standing at the threshold of Superman's Fortress of Solitude.**


	4. Chapter 4

Justice League

The Price of Tomorrow

Part Four

**Washington DC**

The TV continued to droll on monotonously as Steve Trevor turned for what must have been the hundredth time. He'd been pacing in front of his hospital bed for nearly an hour now, back and forth, back and forth, waiting for something, anything, to happen. The windows and the blinds were drawn, as were the privacy curtains separating the door from his bed.

Every now and then, the talking heads on TV would snap him out of the almost hypnotic trance he was in with a statement that caught his attention in one way or another.

"…And whoever the mysterious assailant was, it appears she has bested Wonder Woman in hand to hand combat…"

He had no way to contact the outside world. The phone next to his bed had been unplugged, by him, figuring it was bugged anyway, and his cell phone was with his belongings, wherever they had been taken to. He'd been placed in a room designed for longer stays, there was a computer hub in the corner by the window. However, internet access had been blocked, leaving Trevor with no doubt in his mind that this was another of Cartwright's schemes to keep Trevor out of the loop.

"…before the two women began their fight, a strange dark cloud formed out beyond the ocean which caused almost all of the civilians to flee the beach in terror. Eye witness' report they thought it was some sort of insect swarm, perhaps flies, or something similar. However, there is no sign of the cloud now, and traffic, local, and personal camera's all show the cloud fading and dispersing as quickly and suddenly as it had formed."

Trevor turned again, his fists clenched so tightly behind his back they'd gone numb. The reporter began to go over the details of the fight between Diana and this mysterious woman again. Trevor listened intently for any new or overlooked details he may have missed. When the summary was over, and there was nothing new to report, he changed the channel to another news network.

"…the woman appeared to be wearing some sort of military garb, fought the meta-human and Justice League member known as Wonder Woman, in hand to hand combat…"

If there was one thing Trevor hated about the twenty four hours news cycle, is that it kept repeating the same story over and over and over again. He clicked the remote.

"…Imagine that! Another woman whose apparently as strong, well trained, and dangerous as Wonder Woman," a talking head on the new TV station said excitedly. "This is something we've never seen before."

On this channel, five people dressed in nice suits were sitting around a table took turns giving their thoughts and opinions on the news of the day.

"Yes, it certainly is," said another talking head. "But all this tells us is there is yet another Meta-human out there who has great power, and can cause a lot of damage and destruction," another talking head said. "Troubling as that is, I find it even more troubling we haven't had an official response from the President yet."

"Yes he needs to get out in front of this," replied a portly, and grouchy, looking talking head. "The public's attitude towards Meta-human's is already souring…"

"But our country, and yes our Government…" said a woman jumping in. "… has benefited greatly from Meta-humans like the Justice League. Don't tell me you've all forgettten the Dark Seid invasion…"

"Which was over five years ago," the grouchy looking man growled angrily. "Remember, people have short memories, and whether you like it or not, public opinion is based on 'what have you done for me lately.' The Justice League did the country…"

"The world!"

"…fine, the world, a huge favor with Dark Seid, but look what's happened since! Example after example of more Meta-human's putting on capes and masks, apparently to protect their civilian identities, as if they're entitled to that kind of privacy to begin with, and guess what! Shocker! They're not all good guys."

"Which is why the President should be getting out there throwing his support behind the Justice League," said the first, youthful and enthusiastic, talking head.

"He can't do that," said the woman sitting next to the portly one forcefully. "He does that, he risks inflaming tensions with Russia, China, the Middle East, and anyone else who might feel threatened thinking the United States had its own meta-human team on speed dial."

Trevor had about as much as he could take. Angrily, he clicked the TV off before hurling the remote across the room. "Idiots," he said through clenched teeth. "Just as stupid game to them."

He began pacing again, running through the facts again. Whatever was happening out there was bigger than Diana and that woman, very big, and very serious. Whoever that woman was, she was dangerous, and not here alone. Two others had come through the portal with this woman. One had attacked A.R.G.U.S., which was being withheld from the news, and there hadn't been any mention of the third yet. But the big question in Trevor's mind was why. Why did this woman want to fight Diana? And why did the other attack A.R.G.U.S.

He shook his head, unable to find a plausible answer. He just didn't have enough information, and as long as he was trapped in this hospital room, he wouldn't get any more.

Trevor snapped the privacy curtain back and stepped towards the door. "Hey," Trevor snapped. The door was open, and on either side was a guard. They stood facing forward, but turned and crossed their rifles when it looked like Trevor might try to leave.

Trevor looked at each of them fiercely. "Remy, Boomer, what are you guys doing?

"I'm sorry Colonel Trevor," Remy, the one on the right said.

"We explained to you our orders the last time," Boomer, the one on the left said.

"To hell with your orders, I need to get out there!" Trevor said. His fists were clenched again, and he felt his pulse begin to race.

Remy began again, nervously. "Our orders are to keep you here so you can be fully recovered…"

"I don't need to recover anymore, I need to doing my job!" Trevor shouted.

"Which you have been relieved of," Boomer relied calmly.

Trevor shook his head in disbelief. "Guys," he said, his voice laced with pleading. "It's me. We've been working together for five years. We've gone into the field together, pulled each other out of the trenches, lost friends…"

Remy quickly cut in. "Sir, we didn't say this was easy." He looked at Steve sternly, but Trevor could see conflict behind them. "But these our are orders, and you always said we were to follow our orders no matter what."

"So please, Colonel," Boomer said. "Don't make this harder on us. Go back inside, and I promise if we hear anything we'll let you know right away."

Trevor sighed as the fight left him. Remy and Boomer were not only good soldiers, but good friends, and they were doing exactly as he'd trained them to do; put there personal feelings aside, and follow their orders. If the situation was reversed, and he was in either of their shoes, he would do the same. For any military group to function at its best, the chain of command had to be respected. Trevor knew that, he believed it whole heartedly. And if he was completely honest with himself, he would have to admit that what bothered him most was that he seemed to have been removed from that chain.

"Alright guys," Trevor said. "Thanks anyway."

Trevor was reaching for the privacy curtain when Boomer called after him. "Sir. There was one more thing." Trevor turned back, unsure if he should be hopeful or not, but the look on Remy's face told him he should not. "Anthony Cartwright delivered a message earlier saying you should watch the news around 4:00."

That name caused Trevor's shoulders to tense. His eyes knitted into a scowl as he angrily pulled the curtain between them. He began pacing again, muttering how he would not be watching the news like Cartwright asked. That arrogant, smug little prick had already gotten under Trevor's skin enough. Ever since they had met, Cartwright had done little to disguise the fact that he was aiming to get Trevor out of his job. Now, it seemed he'd succeeded, but why, Trevor didn't know, and right now he didn't care.

However, after five minutes or so he realized that was his anger talking, and anger wasn't going to help Trevor solve his problems, or get A.R.G.U.S. back. He needed to think rationally and, as much as Trevor hated it, stoop to Cartwright's level. For that reason, when 4:00 came around, Trevor flipped on the TV.

The channel was still tuned to the 24 hour news network from before, and to his surprise, Cartwright was on himself. He was standing in the White House's press room, with the official seal of the President of the United States looming large behind him, and appearing as though he was preparing to make a press conference. When he settled himself in front of the microphones, Trevor saw a very different persona emanating from Cartwright than what he was used to seeing.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the press," Cartwright began, in a rather calm, even keeled and professional sounding voice that didn't contain a hint of his smugness or arrogance. "Thank you for coming."

Trevor stood still with the remote clutched firmly in his hand, listening intently and forgetting everything else.

The chatter of the press corp. faded, and Cartwright continued. "U.S. intelligence has confirmed that the incidents in both Central City and the Florida coast did involve Meta-humans," Cartwright said as the beginning to obviously prepared talking points. "In Central City, the Meta-human and Justice League member known as _The Flash _was involved in an altercation with another, unknown, Meta-human. The incident included several fires set around Central City, and an attempted assassination attempt."

Trevor's jaw dropped as the room immediately erupted with the sound of reporters asking questions. He hadn't heard about an attempted assassination.

The chatter died down as Cartwright raised his voice slightly and continued. "While thankfully neither Mayor Trambeline or any civilians were harmed, the incident has caused thousands and thousands of dollars in private and public property damage."

"Mr. Cartwright, who is responsible for this?" one reporter cutting in. "Whose going to pay the bills?"

Trevor's eyes narrowed as Cartwright tilted his head slightly in a gesture designed to make Cartwright look sympathetic and resigned. Trevor had been around political types long enough to see through it.

Cartwright replied, "This administration certainly doesn't want to leave the innocent working class with a personal bill for damage caused by Meta-human incidents."

"Does that mean tax payers are going too foot the bill?" another reporter asked.

"The President will be asking Congress to approve emergency funding to help repair what damage has been caused by these incidents," Cartwright continued. "The President views incidents such as these on the same level as natural disasters or war-time collateral damage. Small and large business's, people's homes, schools, and recreation centers have all been affected. In order for our normal day to day lives, as well as our economy, to not be affected by such incidents, he believes it is the Federal Governments responsibility to do all it can to repair the damage swiftly, and with a little as possible cost to the victims, who are not at fault for the damage caused to their property."

Trevor clutched the remote angrily as Cartwright's game became clear to him. This wasn't a real press conference. Everything from Cartwright's opening statements, to the questions, to his answers, were pre-planned, and for a specific purpose.

Another reported quickly chimed in. "What about the incident in Florida? And can you confirm there was an attack on a Government building earlier this morning?"

Trevor's ears perked up as the grip on the remote loosened.

"The incident in Florida appears to have been a private matter between the Meta-human and Justice League member known as Wonder woman, and another, unknown, Meta-human," Cartwright said.

A reported responded with fake indignation. "A private matter? What about all the tourist that were fleeing for their lives because of this so called insect swarm? Which by the way, does the President have any information he can reveal as to what that swarm was?"

Cartwright held up his hands in a calming gesture. "I don't have any intelligence I can share with you about this so called insect swarm at this moment," he said. "However, again, I'll say that situation appears to be a private matter, and Meta-human's and Justice League member's known as Superman and Cyborg, have joined Wonder Woman in this matter."

Trevor's eyes went wide and his heart skipped a beat. Superman was there! Good, that meant Diana would be safe. The next moment however, his head went light. Superman, yes, if anyone could help Diana right now it would be him…only him.

Another reporter spoke up quickly. "It seems these incidents between Meta-human's are happening at an increasingly frequent rate. Does the President have any statement to make regarding these incitements?"

"Only as I said before," Cartwright replied. "He will be putting the interests of regular, everyday, working class folks first in his response to any and all incidents such as these. The President has not forgotten all the Meta-human community has done for the world. However, the intentions and motives of the Meta-human community have become blurred and unclear. The United States of America is not their personal playground where they can settle squabbles and disputes at the expense of everyday, regular, Americans. The Meta-Human community has remained largely unorganized, and none of them are officially recognized as law enforcement officials. The President, as well as all members of Congress, take their oaths to uphold the constitution with deep sincerity…"

Trevor cocked an eyebrow.

"…and therefore will respond to such incidents as these with due diligence. If a member of the Meta-human community breaks the law, or poises a serious threat to the well being of the United States, or the world at large, the President and Congress are prepared to act accordingly."

The room erupted as all the reporters began speaking at once. Each reported was drowned out by the one standing to their left or right, making it impossible to hear them from the TV. Cartwright raised his hands at this point in a gesture to say he was done, before beginning to exit to his right.

The screen became a mess of colored rainbow lines as the remote crashed against the screen. It went blank a moment later as Trevor breathed deeply and tried to ignore the throbbing in his shoulder.

He began pacing again. "Idiots!" he shouted angrily as Cartwright's remarks rolled through his head. The press conference was a sham, with every question purposefully asked, and every response carefully planned before hand. Trevor had worked along side political types long enough to know nothing happened by accident; everything had a clear purpose.

Cartwright's purpose was easy enough to guess. He was posturing. Laying the ground work for an upcoming debate that many politicians had longed to have, but were too afraid to have it. Public opinion of Meta-humans had been nearly split ever since they burst into the public scene during the Darkseid incident. Split, but tilted in favor of the Meta-humans, which paralyzed the politicians in Washington, who had quietly begun writing legislation and plans to regulate, control, and if necessary, imprison Meta-humans. The fear was that someday, the Meta-human community would turn against the United States, or more specifically, the politicians. They sat and waited, having placed those plans and bills in a metaphorical desk to gather dust until the day came when public sentiment would take a turn against the Meta-humans. In recent months, it seemed that day was drawing near. Numerous incidents had occurred with plenty of questionable actions and wide amounts of grey area where debate and criticism was warranted. Seeing the opportunity, the politicians had reached into the drawers and dusted off their legislation and plans, all the while planting little seeds of spin and propaganda in the media, all designed to encourage a shift in public attitude, and justify actions they had wanted to take for so long.

Trevor stopped pacing. His heart began to beat rapidly, and his chest tightened. His mind was still spinning, but one thought was screaming louder than the rest. An idea, a plan, an operation, one he angrily rejected when it was first proposed to him; Operation Arctic Storm. The operation had been presented and proposed to Trevor by Anthony Cartwright just a few weeks ago. The operation was designed after learning that Superman had a hidden fortress in the arctic, a fortress seemingly made from alien technology from his home world. Upon learning of Superman's secret Fortress, Washington had wasted no time in trying to learn where the Fortress had come from, and more importantly to them, what was inside (See Superman 18).

Superman had rejected all requests to explain or show anyone what was inside; a response no politician ever likes to hear. Soon afterwards, Operation Arctic Storm had been drawn up. The purpose was to forcefully break into Superman's Fortress of Solitude, and bring back any and all information or secrets kept within. As head of A.R.G.U.S. and former liaison to the Justice League, and current leader of the Justice League of America, Trevor had been asked to lead the operation.

Trevor had adamantly refused, each and every time he'd been asked.

But now Trevor was no longer head of A.R.G.U.S., and relieved of duty until further notice. Trevor's eyes went wide; his removal now made sense. If Trevor wasn't going to be a part of Operation Arctic Storm, they had to find someone else who would.

The purpose of Cartwright's press conference went beyond laying the ground work for a political debate. It was laying the ground work for the justification of a military strike against Superman's Fortress of Solitude. The final stage of Operation Arctic Storm! If it was deemed the Fortress of Solicitude poised a threat to National Security, then the military was authorized to make a nuclear strike.

But if the United States of America performed a Nuclear strike on Superman's home… Black spots began to appear in the corner of Trevor's eyes. His legs grew weak, and he found himself stumbling towards his bed. He gripped the rails so tight, his knuckles turned white.

"Idiots," he muttered to himself as the hospital room suddenly felt very small, and very cold. "May god help us all."

**THE WATCHTOWER**

She looks nothing like she did back on the beach. Nothing like she did when she fought Diana. Nothing like she did when she fought me. That woman was strong, steady, and had a look of determination which over ruled her fear. She fought Diana fiercely, and won. She nearly killed me. Yet looking at her now, you'd never guess this was the same woman.

"So there's really nothing special about her, is there?" Arthur asks.

He's here with Barry, who's still recovering himself from his encounter.

"Guess not," Barry says.

We're in the armory, and she's strapped tightly at her wrists, ankles, midsection, and neck to the wall using makeshift shackles made from Bruce's various tether's and batarangs. He'd had wasted no time containing her once we had boomed back to the Watchtower.

"You mean she's…just human?" Arthur says.

Once she was secured, I looked through all her organs and skeletal structure. She has all the vital organs of a normal human being; all in the places they should be. I also found lots of scar tissue, and signs of wear, abuse, and poor mending of her joints and bones. And besides for a small, peculiar device surgically implanted in her left bicep made lead, she's absolutely, without a doubt, human.

"Bruce took a sample of her blood," Barry says. "I'm sure when Vic analyzes it we'll know for sure, but as far as I can tell, yeah, she's just human."

Bruce had taken a sample of her blood, just as soon as she was secured, then after a quick search through her garments, took off to the lab without saying a word. Vic had taken Diana to the medical bay, where she's still unconscious with that device strapped to her chest. Her vitals are remaining stable, and Vic is doing all he dares to both analyze the device, and find a way to remove it safely.

Barry and Arthur had boomed to the Watchtower soon after. Barry was shaken, but recovering quickly. Arthur appears angry, and eager to find out what's going on. I am too, though not as eager to show it.

I'm still weak, very weak. I really should fly to the sun to recharge my cells, but I can't leave, not now; not when there are so many questions, not when Diana remains unconscious, not while her assailant is here.

Barry takes a step towards her, looking her over and assessing her with his crime scene training. He shakes his head in dismay. "The computer did a retina and finger print scan, and couldn't find a match. She might be human, but there's no record of her anywhere in the world."

"Is it possible she's with the Government?" Arthur asks. "And her identity was erased?"

Barry shook his head. "Not likely, not with our computer."

I hear footsteps, soft and subtle so only I can hear them, and they've stopped just behind us. "Why don't we ask her?"

The others turn, but I don't. I keep my eyes on her. Her breathing is shallow and her heart is beating faintly like its old and warn out. I hear Bruce take his hypodermic needle out of his utility belt, and step towards her. Just before he moves past me, I grab his wrist. We exchange a look, a brief look, that only he and I understand, and a moment later he hands me the injector. This woman is full of surprises, and who knows what else she may be capable of. I might be still be weak, but I'll be the best one to fight her if she springs anymore surprises.

There's a soft hiss from the injector, and she begins to show signs of life. Her eyes blink, slowly at first, but pick up speed quickly. Her breathing is labored, and she winces as she tries to move. Slowly and painfully, she lifts her head and meets my gaze. Immediately, the cold, unwavering look returns. After a moment or two, her gaze leaves mine, and she looks past me towards the others. They move from Arthur, to Barry, to Bruce. However, when she comes to Bruce, the coldness in her eyes thaw for a brief moment, before freezing over once again as she turns back to me.

Arthur stepped forward with his Trident in hand. "You got a name?" he asked.

The woman pressed her lips together tightly as her eyes darted back and forth between us. She was also breathing heavily, her chest heaving as if it was a struggle.

"I met your friend," Barry says. "He seemed like a nice guy. Even said we weren't enemies, and you know what, I believed him."

Nothing.

"You look like hell," Arthur continued coldly. "Like your strung out on something."

Barry smile awkwardly and stepped in between them. "Maybe we should start with introducing ourselves," he said diplomatically. "I'm the Fl…"

Barry could finish, the woman broke in. "Barry Allen, Arthur Curry, Vic Stone, Clark Kent, and…" she turned intently to Batman, "…Bruce Wayne."

Barry mouth hangs open, his last word dangling on the tip of his tongue while, Arthur clenches his teeth and grips his trident tightly. Bruce remains perfectly still, once again unreadable, while I cross my arms tighter across my chest.

My identity as Clark Kent is a closely guarded secret. I can count on my fingers the number of people who know my real name, and it took me a while before I even opened up to the Justice League about it. My mind whirls, wondering how this woman could know that Clark Kent is Superman. But what's even more of a surprise, is that she knows Bruce Wayne is Batman. As much as I guard my secret identity, Bruce guards his even more. He has too, Bruce Wayne is just too big a public figure.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watch Bruce, and find it curious that all he does is cock his head slightly. "And Wonder Woman?" he asked.

"Diana of Themyscira," the woman says, then turns and looks at me with utter disdain. "But I think by now she's sometimes she's known as Diana Prince."

My hands clench into fists. Lately, I've tried to show Diana more of our world, or man's world, as she calls it. Unlike the rest of us, Diana doesn't have a secret identity; she's only ever been Diana, Wonder Woman, Amazon Princess. But as we've grown close, she's become curious about how I manage to live a double life, and also why. So we've started going out in public, me as Clark Kent, and she as Diana Prince, the name we've come up for her.

It's been our little secret, and its been nice. But now I feel the glass walls are shattering, and I want to know why, how, and who she is.

"Ok…" Barry said, cautiously. "So you know who we are, but we don't know what to call you."

Bruce steps forward, cutting Barry off. "Let's start at the beginning," he said.

We all look to Bruce, the woman as well. Her expression changes from disdain and hostility, to one more of… well, it looks like respect.

From under his cape, Bruce brings out Diana's sword and holds it before her. "This blade…" he says. "…It's genuine Amazon, magically imbued by the god's. It's one of a few items in the world that can actually make Superman bleed." Bruce pauses, holding his gaze on her intently as her eyes shift back and forth between the blade, and him. She betrays nothing; not even a blink or a flutter.

With his other hand, Bruce withdraws another blade, the one which looked exactly like Diana's. "This blade…" Bruce says. "…it's also genuine Amazon, and magically imbued by the god's. It's exactly like Wonder Woman's in every way. A perfect match."

His words drift between them as he goes quiet, and the tension seems to rise amongst us. I've seen Bruce do this before, from street thugs to high political figures. He knows he's an intimidating figure, and he thrives on it, never afraid to use silence to let tension or fear build. However, this woman remains still, her eyes fixed completely on him now.

I hear the slightest grunt from Bruce before he continues. "I'm betting that if I had the computer scan the Kryptonite ring you used, I would find it to be an exact duplicate of the Kryptonite ring I have in the Batcave."

Barry and Arthur's faced become bewildered, and they look from Bruce to me. I keep my eyes on her, however, watching her for the smallest sign, which never occurs. I'm beginning to wonder if she is either a complete socio-path, or she has ice running through her veins.

The silence lingers again as Bruce and the woman continue staring at each other. The moments pass, each seeming longer than the last. I can hear all their beatings, except for Bruce's, and while Barry and Arthur's are increasing from either tension or nerves, the woman's remains the same.

Barry finally breaks the silence a moment later. "Ok, seriously," he says. "What's going…"

"You fought against Diana with enhanced strength and agility," Bruce says, running Barry over. There's a shift in his demeanor, from the tone of his voice to the tension in his jaw. He steps towards her, his eyes narrowing fiercely under his cowl. He continued in a low growl, "You used an artificial substance. A substance designed to give the user inhuman strength. However, it wore off during your fight with Clark."

Bruce is mad, genuinely mad. I may not be able to hear his heart, but I can hear his breathing and the low tones of his voice. He moves himself just before her, his shadowed eyes glaring into hers.

"I've tested your blood," he says with growl. "I know what that substance is."

The woman's heart races, for only a few beats, but its unmistakable. She's showing fear, Bruce has found a chink in her armor.

However, she fights through her fear, and smiles slightly.

"Well …" the woman said, nodding as if to acknowledge her fear, and too admit defeat. "…shouldn't be too hard figure out now. I only hope I've somehow made you proud."

The confusion returns with Arthur and Barry exchanging a look. However, as I'm listening, I think I'm starting to figure it out, or at least understand what Bruce may have suspected. I watch Bruce closely, waiting for his reaction to confirm my suspicious. A moment later I have my answer, as a small smile appears on his face as well.

"In any other circumstance, I would have been," he says.

The confusion turns to exasperation for Arthur and Barry, while for me it turns too anger.

"Care to tell the rest of us?" Arthur asks sternly.

Bruce steps away from the woman, who suddenly seems much more confident than she had a minute ago. "Venom," Bruce said, causing Arthur and Barry to gasp.

I look too Bruce, unsure if I like the small smile. Venom is an agent used by one of Bruce's deadliest enemies; Bane. It enhances one's speed and strength to non-human levels. However, it is a highly addictive substance, one that will ravage your body if not taken regularly. No not regularly, constantly.

Turning back to the woman, it suddenly makes more sense to me. Her enlarged muscles along with her strength, speed, and agility were fueled by Venom. And when she suddenly collapsed in the sewers, it was because it had left her system.

"I thought that formula was known only to Bane," Arthur said.

"Then how did she get it?" Barry asked. "And the sword, and the ring? And why did your partner try to assassinate Central City's mayor? And why did he erase the fifteen years of cold fusion research at S.T.A.R. labs?"

"Because she's from the future," Bruce said, ominously.

The others spew expressions of disbelief, but I remain still. Bruce keeps his eyes on the woman, who returns his glare, until the corners of her mouth curl into a small, proud, smile.

Arthur shook his head in disbelief. "The Future?" he says. "Is time travel even possible?"

"Actually, it is," Barry says. "I've done it myself, but mostly by accident." (As is true since the New 52 reboot. If you're unaware of the various adventures speedsters have with time travel, stop reading this story now and go and read as many Flash comics as you can. Trust me, they're awesome:-)

Bruce is right, again. When you piece together all the facts, it's the only explanation that makes sense. The sword and the ring; to exact to be copies, so that means they must be the real sword, and the real ring.

"If you find it hard to believe," Batman says. "Then this should convince you." From his belt, Bruce withdraws a small notebook. The woman's smile fades and is replaced with alarm as she spots the journal, and watches Bruce toss it casually to Arthur.

Barry looks over Arthur's shoulder as he begins to casually flips through the pages. They're filled with hand written notes, diagrams, and drawings, top to bottom, with plenty of scribbles in the margins. With each new page, Arthur eyes move faster across the pages. Barry's eyes dart back and forth as well, growing wider with each page.

At one point, he stops, and looks at us with alarm. "This has bio's on all of us," Arthur says. "Strengths, weaknesses; just about anything you can think of."

"It also has details of every major battle we've fought," Barry says. "Darkseid, Doomsday, Despero…"

"The Black Lantern, The Monitors," Barry continues.

"To Hal's departure, to the Atlantis' invasion," Arthur finishes as he's turning the page again. "To…

Before he can finish, Bruce quickly snatches the book out of Arthur's hands. "Yes," he says, turning back to the woman. "It includes information about events that have happened, and events that apparently will happen, such as Mayor Trambeline's ascension to the Presidency, S.T.A.R. lab's creation of a cold-fusion reactor, and …"

He pauses, and turns to me slightly. Our eyes meet, his bearing coldly into mine.

Turning back to the woman, he says, "You've come back here for a reason. Presumably to prevent some disastrous future. You've done your homework, you know exactly what needs to be done." He leans in close to her, clenching his teeth. "But, you've attacked and tried to kill us. Big mistake."

The woman glared and leapt forward, only to be stopped by her restraints. "Only from your perspective," she growled. "If you knew where I come from, you wouldn't be so quick to judge me."

"Then tell us," Bruce said, without flinching. "Help us understand where you come from, and who you are. Perhaps we could even help you."

The woman relaxes slightly, falling back against the wall. I see what Bruce has done. He's been building to this, as only he knows how. He realized early on he couldn't intimidate this woman, so he's chosen a different track, a more sympathetic one that will appeals to her sense of duty. My instincts also tell me Bruce may already know, most likely from reading that journal of hers. He wouldn't have snatched it away from Arthur without reason.

After casting us each a look, she sighs. "My name is Sherina," she says.

"Sherina what?" Barry asks, his cop training kicking in.

"Wayne," Bruce says before she can. "Sherina - Wayne."

My anger has held me still this entire time, but this revelation breaks through those bounds.

"Wayne?" I gasp, then turn to Bruce. "Does that mean…"

"When did you first suspect?" Sherina asks, ignoring my question and drawing Bruce back to her.

"When you leapt into the sewers," Bruce replied. "But the journal confirmed it for me."

I hardly ever see Bruce smile. Normally I'd be glad, Bruce spends too much in the darkness, brooding over his self proclaimed crusade. But this is not a time I want to see Bruce smile. Not with what's at stake, not with Diana lying unconscious in the medical bay.

I clench my fists and step forward. "Bruce, does this mean…"

"She's a descendant of mine," Bruce says. "Great, great, granddaughter I'd guess."

The woman's smile swells with pride, and she nods. "You are as sharp as the legends say," she says.

Arthur steps forward, looking as angry as I am. "This doesn't answer anything. How did you know?"

"The journal is handwritten, as most of my casebooks are," Bruce says plainly, as though he's presenting evidence to a jury. "The ring and sword are not copies, but the genuine articles, brought back from the future. I'm the only one in the world who knows the components of Venom besides Bane. I'm presuming it's a closely guarded - family - secret?"

Sherina nods. "As was Diana's sword, and the ring."

"Ok, that's pretty impressive," Barry says. "But lets stay focused. You still need to tell us why you've come back? What are you trying to prevent?"

"The world I live in is much different than yours," Sherina says, darkly. "My world is dark, desolate, and the human race is on the verge of extinction."

She turns to me then, utter hatred radiating through her, and the anger I felt towards her, and Bruce, only moments before slips away. Behind the hatred, is a lot of anger, but even more pain.

"There isn't much left of the world in my time," she continues. "We've been ravaged by decades of war which has reduced every last civilization on Earth to nothing more than dust and ash. There's nobody left to fight, nothing left to fight for. So yes, I've come back. I've come back to prevent my world from ever existing, and I'm willing to do anything it takes," she finishes through clenched teeth and a sneer.

Silence fills the room, and my mind goes blank. I feel myself blink several times as I take in all she's said.

Uncertainly, I ask the only thing I can think of. "And that meant… killing me?"

Her eyes narrow, and her answer makes my blood turn cold. "Not just you, Superman, but your people too, the Kryptonians!"

**The Arctic**

Lex stared wide eyed at the vast complex behind the two large doors that had swung open before him. It was Superman's Fortress of Solitude, and Lex was finally standing at the threshold of the complex he had long obsessed of seeing.

Lionel stepped inside. "Impressive," he said, looking around.

"Mhmm," said his companion, Caelus.

Caelus took the lead, with Lex following and Lionel taking up the rear. Lex, after being told by Lionel they could not proceed without Caelus, had stared in aghast as he had opened the door. During his time in prison, Lex had spent hours upon hours wondering how he could break into the Fortress, only to learn, now, that opening the Fortress of Solitude wasn't nearly as complicated as he had imagined. It was opened with a key, a simple key not much different than a house key except made of gold, which Caelus had found hidden nearby.

"That's it!" Lex had gasped after Caelus had turned the key and the doors began to open.

Lionel slapped him across the back of his bald head. "Quite you!" Lionel shouted.

Lex held his tongue while rubbing his head, grinding his teeth, and remembering the role he was suppose to play. Lionel had warned Lex that breaking him out of prison hadn't been part of his companion's plan. He wasn't sure how Caelus would react to Lex's presence, though he had assured Lex that Caelus would not hurt or kill him. When they were joined by Caelus, Lionel had explained that Lex was just an innocent bystander he didn't want to kill, so had taken him captive instead.

So far it appeared Caelus had either bought the story, or didn't care.

Where ever Caelus stepped, lights began to turn on. They illuminated the Fortress brightly, and despite himself, Lex found himself staring in awe. It was a larger structure than Lex had ever imagined, filled from wall to wall with exotic, and presumably powerful, alien artifacts. Lex noted each device or artifact they passed with his Eidetic memory, his mind running wild with speculation about their uses or purposes. They walked through one end of the Fortress until they came to what looked like an elevator of some sort.

Beside it, there was a keypad of some sort with a myriad of clear crystals protruding from it, and strange symbols beside each one. Guessing the symbols belonged to the Kryptonian language, Lex raised an eyebrow when Caelus took only a brief glance, and pushed one of the crystals. The lift began to move, downwards, and Lex's curiosity turned to suspicion as a familiar feeling rose within him.

"You know what floor we're looking for?," Lionel asked casually. Caelus answered with a slight nod, keeping his eyes on the keyboard.

Lex bit his lip, it was taking everything in him to look afraid, rather than sneer. There was a look in Caelus' eyes he did not like; withdrawn, almost glassy, as though he were having thoughts of regret or guilt. Lex didn't like people who felt regret or guilt; it meant weakness, and weakness led to second guessing, and Lex could not afford anyone second guessing right now.

The elevator, or platform, floated seemingly on air as it descended through a large anti-chamber. The view was absolute, and awe inspiring. Standing tall within the chamber was a large statue of two people, both wearing Kryptonian garments and holding their hands up high. Beneath the statues was a large consul similar, but on a larger scale, to the one on the elevator. Next to the consol was a chair, or perhaps a throne, with a perch raised beside it, and a glass bottle resting on it.

Lionel looked around and whistled, and the glassy and withdrawn look faded from Caelus as he looked around as well. Lex, however, felt a knot form in his stomach, and his heart begin to race. He was in a position he never thought he'd be in; behind his enemies line, in his home base no less, where all his secrets and plans were no doubt hatched.

The lift came to a sudden, but smooth, stop at the bottom of the chamber. As with everywhere else in the Fortress, as soon as Caelus stepped off the platform, lights turned on, and the chamber was illuminated. Lionel, playing his role, pushed Lex forward off the lift. Lex cursed in his mind, but then saw an opportunity.

Using the momentum from the push, Lex stumbled forward onto his face with a whimper and a gasp.

Lionel frowned and said, "You clumsy little…"

"Ah my leg," Lex cried, turning over and gripping his leg tightly to his chest.

"You're leg, what in…"

"I told you before you broke it," Lex said with a whimper, trying his best to sound angry and afraid.

Caelus paused and narrowed his eyes while staring at Lex's leg. Lex shuddered, and felt his butterflies rise in his stomach. He knew what Caelus was doing.

However, a moment later, Caelus shook his head and blinked several times before sighing in defeat. "Is he alright?" he asked Lionel a moment later.

Lex turned to Lionel and gave him a quick wink. "Yeah," Lionel said. "Just a… well he got nicked up a bit and has been complaining about it ever since," he continued with disdain. "Go on ahead, I'll get him on his feet. Not like I'm much help to you anyways," he added with a shrug.

Caelus nodded, and continued on into the chamber, towards the computer consol. Lionel knelt by Lex, who quickly wiped the painful expression off his face.

Shaking his head, Lionel said, "What are you…"

"Shut up you idiot," Lex hissed. "You didn't tell me your friend was Kryptonian!"

Lionel eyes went wide for a moment, then settled as he smiled. "I wondered if you would figure that out."

"It would take someone with less than half my intellect to figure it out," Lex sneered. "This place… the way it lights up where ever he goes… it knows he's Kryptonian. And I'm guessing the key…"

"Gold of some kind, suppose to weigh a ton or two," Lionel said.

"So only someone with super human strength, like Superman, could even pick it up," Lex said, angrily.

"Hehe," Lionel said. "Luckily for us, we have our own Kryptonian."

Lex felt the color in his face rise. "Yes, how lucky we are," he scowled. "But how can you trust him?" Lex asked under his breath as he stood. "I thought you said the Kryptonians had won in your time."

Lionel became serious. "They have," he replied. "But not every Kryptonians agreed with their leaders. Some sided with humanity. Well I shouldn't say some, just one, actually. One family."

Across the chamber, Caelus had reached the consol. Lex glared at him as the computer quickly came to life. Like the device on the platform, the large consul was filled with a myriad of clear crystals, with Kryptonian symbols next to each. Caelus studied the consol, and began manipulating the crystals. He pushed some, pulled others, and moved some from one location to another. Above him, and above the consul, was a large, empty space, that blinked to life and filled with holographic (or at least they looked holographic to Lex) images.

"It shouldn't matter," Lex muttered as they began making their way towards Caelus. "If they're not human, they can't be trusted."

Beside him, Lionel laughed slightly. "This one you can," he said. "I believe a common phrase in this time was, 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend?"

Lionel had told Lex everything on their journey to the Arctic. Who he was, where he was from, and what his plan was. Lex had listened intently as Lionel explained that in the future, an entire Kryptonian civilization had taken root on Earth. It didn't take long before the Kryptonians realized their near god-like abilities under Earth's yellow sun, and turned to conquest.

They looked at humanity like insects, and began the fiercest, largest, and longest war Earth had ever seen. Though the Kryptonian Civilization numbered in only the few hundreds, it only took a few dozen soldiers to wipe out a country's entire military. One by one, Earth's nations, both large and small, fell to the Kryptonians. Humanity fought back, as it always had before, but in the end the Kryptonians were just too powerful.

Lionel and his partners had become humanities last hope. There numbers were small, and shrinking everyday, and they realized their only chance to defeat the Kryptonians was not head on, but in the past. Which is why they were here, to stop the events that led to the Kryptonians arrival on Earth, and thus the future awaiting all of mankind.

"That kind of trust only goes so far," Lex said with a snort as they resumed their roles, and Lionel pushed Lex forward as though he were a common criminal again.

But in a hushed voice he said, "I don't need to trust him. At least not in regards to the plan."

"Their plan," Lex hissed. "Or _yours_?"

Lionel smiled slyly.

Lionel had told Lex he had willingly volunteered for this mission, which had apparently come as a surprise to many in the resistance. However, like any true Luthor, Lionel had devised a plan of his own. While Lionel hoped the resistance's plan would succeed, he saw another opportunity. An opportunity to not only prevent the Kryptonians from ever setting foot on Earth, but to also set humanity on a course where they would never be threatened by Super beings, Kryptonian or not, ever again. The plan would also ensure the Luthor family would have a place amongst Earth's ruling elite for generations to come.

"Just go with me on this," Lionel muttered. "Everything will be fine, and you'll have all I promised."

Lionel pushed Lex before he could say anything else, and he stumbled forward and fell.

Lex felt his ears grow hot, but lifted his head to find the barrel of a gun pointed between his eyes. "Stay there and don't make a sound," Lionel said, before he went and stood beside Caelus.

Lex narrowed his eyes before finding a place to rest his back. He wasn't used to be treated like this, and hated it more with each passing moments. Lionel may be his descendant, but Lex felt his dislike towards him grow.

Meanwhile, Lionel stood near Caelus and looked to the glass dome resting on the pedestal beside the throne. He whistled. "So that's it huh," Lionel said.

Caelus continued working at the consol and said nothing. Lionel smirked. "To think, all the trouble we've gone through, because of that tiny little bottle."

Lex's rolled his eyes, his patience really running thin. He looked to the bottle himself, wondering what his ancestor was going on about, and realized it wasn't a bottle at all. It was actually a device of Alien construction, one Lex had personal experience with.

Over five years ago, an Alien called Brainiac had miniaturized Metropolis and placed it within a bottle just like the one resting in the pedestal. Lex had been in Metropolis at the time and witnessed first hand Brainiac's bottling process (See Superman and the Men of Steel, Action Comics 1-8). Superman had saved them, apparently just in time, from being placed in a sort of hibernation status where they would be miniaturized permanently.

Looking over the bottle as closely as he could, he had no doubt this was another of Brainiac's bottles, with another city within it.

"Well, I suppose there's nothing to do but just get on with it," Lionel said. "You almost ready?"

Caelus stopped and hung his head low. The look from before had returned to his eyes; guilt, regret, and a moment or two passed before Caelus nodded slowly.

Lionel padded him on the shoulder sympathetically. "I know this is hard, but think of all the…"

"I know," Caelus said sharply. "Just get on with it."

"After you then," Lionel said. "What have you got up?"

Caelus began working on the consul again. Above him, the viewing space was becoming littered with three dimensional diagrams of strange alien constructs. Beside the images were clusters of the strange Kryptonian language, no doubt mean to be notes, instructions, or directions. Lex watch the screen intently, until out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lionel move slowly behind Caelus.

"I've gained access to all systems, and I'm starting to dismantle them now," Caelus said. "There is some security within the computer's systems, but it won't take me long to override them."

"Hehe, the boy scout wasn't as prepared as he should have been," Lionel said.

"He was probably as prepared as he ever thought he needed to be," Caelus replied, coldly.

Lex saw Lionel move his hand carefully to a long and thin compartment on his belt near his backside. Gently, Lionel undid the clasp, and rested his hand comfortably beside it. "And what about the more…dangerous… areas of the Fortress?" Lionel asked.

"The levels with the most security, and presumably the most dangerous, are in the menagerie level," Caelus replied. "I've cut power and life support systems to those levels. Anything living within there won't be in about fifteen minutes."

Lionel's lips curled into a wicked smile as he said, "Good to hear."

In a flash, Lex saw Lionel withdraw a glowing green blade from the compartment, and heard Caelus gasp as Lionel jammed it in his side.

Caelus lurched forward and gasped before collapsing. His hands began reaching around his back, desperately searching for the blade protruding from his side. Meanwhile, Lionel wasted no time He kicked Caelus in the stomach, and pressed in one of the crystals on the consul. Then, as Caelus struggled to stand, Lionel kicked him again, and again. He kicked him over and over while Lex watched and stared dumbfounded.

"Don't just stand there," Lionel shouted to Lex. "Give me a hand here!"

A door had opened on the other side of the chamber, and Lionel began kicking Caelus towards it. Lex was there a moment later, and together, they began kicking the increasingly growing limp body of Caelus. Caelus was gasping, gagging, wheezing, and bleeding all over. Across the threshold of the door Lionel had opened up was another platform hovering over a shaft leading downwards. Fierce cries erupted from the darkness, and Lex guessed they were from some kind of animals, aliens no doubt, and most likely lethal.

Caelus shifted his struggles between trying to stand, defend himself, and pull the dagger out of his back. But with each attempt, he was met with another kick from either Lionel or Lex. Then, they kicked Caelus together, one final time onto the platform. Lionel quickly pressed another crystal, and the door whooshed shut, and the fierce cries became muffled as the platform began to descend.

Lex bent over, resting his hands on his knees and gasping for breath. His heart was pounding, but it was due to a rush he'd never felt before.

Meanwhile, Lionel looked at the door and shook his head in regret. "Damn, I'm gonna miss that blade," Lionel said, then casually turned back towards the consul.

"Was that…Kryptonite?!" Lex asked.

Lionel turned and smiled. "Indeed. That knife has been passed down through our family for over a century now. It's sort of a family heir loom. The hilt was made from the metal you created, Metallo, and the blade was crafted from your personal piece of Kryptonite."

Lex smiled. "How wonderful," he said. "I hope that knifes been put to good use over the years."

"Oh it has," Lionel said, his face beaming. "The blade has slit the throat of many of the bastards. It works pretty good on the Kryptonians, if you can get close enough to 'em. Works even better on the Hybrids," he added. "Always a good way to finish them off; a piece of their own damned world, I always loved the poetic justice of it all."

Lex tilted his head as they reached the consul again. "Hybrids?"

"Half Kryptonian, Half human," Lionel replied as he began studying the consul. "It's why the poor boy didn't have the full arsenal of Kryptonian powers. He can't fly, he couldn't hear us talking, and I'm pretty sure he was trying to see if your leg was broken back there, but can't see through anything. Luckily for us, he does share their weaknesses, especially to Kryptonite. They're actually more vulnerable to it."

"Yes, lucky for us," Lex echoed with a mumble. "But he wasn't dead. You sure he's not still alive."

"Well at the moment he is, but we probably need him to be," Lionel said. "You see, this place detected his genes, its why everything turned on for him. I'm not sure what will happen if his life signs goes flat and all this place can detect are two humans. Damn place might blow up for all I know, and we can't let that happen, yet."

Lex frowned. "You're not at all worried he might, I don't know, survive?"

Lionel laughed. "Not as long as that blades in him. Besides, I threw him down into the menagerie level after all the security systems had been turned off. He'll have to contend with whatever's down their, and the lack of breathable atmosphere, before he can even think about us. Now he's not dead yet, but could be soon, and I wouldn't be surprised if our presence here hasn't alerted the Justice League, so we had best hurry."

"Yes, yes, by all means, hurry," Lex said. His eyes began darting in every direction of the anti-chamber. The fortress suddenly seemed less interesting to Lex, less fascinating. Instead, it seemed… alien.

Nothing here belonged on Earth, and if Lex could, he'd destroy the place this instant. Damn whatever technological advances could be found here; it wasn't of Earth, and if it wasn't human, it didn't belong here.

Lionel pulled a device from his garments and laid it next to the consul. "You're getting antsy."

"Forgive me," Lex said sarcastically. "But I'd just as soon we do what you came to do and get out of here."

Lionel pressed a few buttons on the device as he manipulated a few crystals on the consul. "Just have a little faith would you," he said casually.

Lex scoffed. "Faith! Luthor's don't put their trust in faith," he sneered.

"Not even in your own blood?" Lionel asked. The device he placed next to the consul began lighting up.

"You know it just occurred to me," Lex said. "I barely know you, and I have no way to confirm we are actually blood. You've broken me out of prison, yes. And you told me a near impossible tale, yes. But for all know you are playing me like fiddle strings. You've told me absolutely no details of your so called plan, only that I'm suppose to be a big part in it. And now here we are, in the middle of the arctic, within the walls of this intolerable alien fortress, and you tell me to have _faith!_ I am a man of logic and science. Faith is for weak hearted fools who can't find anyway to cope with the challenges and hardships life tosses at them everyday. That's the problem with Superman! He's just another figure for people to look to rather than look to them…"

"I wasn't asking you to have blind faith," Lionel said loudly, cutting him off and without looking up from the consul. "Just faith. Now look here before you give yourself a heart attack."

With a press of a button on Lionel's device, the Fortress sprang to life. The chamber became illuminated, from bottom to ceiling; the viewing area above the consul began lighting up; and below them, a low hum rose from deep below the surface accompanied by a faint vibration. Each grew slowly in intensity as the screen behind the consul flickered and changed. A holographic view of Earth filled the image void; an image that looked more like a schematic to Lex, with a glaring red mark at the top of the world.

Lex felt his throat go dry. "What's happening?" he asked.

Lionel turned one final crystal before picking up his device and stepping away from the consul. "Well, I guess you could say I'm turning the heat on."

The image of Earth shrank and moved itself to a corner of the viewing field. A schematic of the Fortress appeared in its place. The intersecting crystals were beginning to glow.

"Turning the heat on?" Lex asked impatiently. "I'm not in the mood for games or playful riddles. Speak plainly!"

Lionel rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright," he said. "First, you should know a little about our Kryptonian friends…"

"Never use those two words in the same sentence!" Lex shouted.

"…as you wish," Lionel replied, then continued. "You see, the Kryptonians were very advanced compared to us, so advanced they had sealed themselves in a sort of bubble. They controlled every nook and cranny of their damned planet; from the air, to the sea's, to their population, and even the fracking weather (See Superman: The Man of Steel by John Byrne)."

The humming began to grow louder, as did the vibrations. At the same time, Lex began to feel the temperature rise. "All that power, and their planet still exploded?" Lex asked incredulously.

Lionel nodded smugly. "Yeah, apparently they managed that all on their own," he said. "But this fortress here," he motioned to the antechamber with his hands, before pointing to the pedestal, "and that bottle over there are the last Kryptonian structures in the universe."

Lex looked at the bottle curiously, remembering once again how it felt to be within one. Looking within the bottle though, at the gleaming towers and alien architecture, he realized what he was looking at.

"In there…" he said pointing, "…a Kryptonian city?"

Lionel nodded. "Kandor its called, and may its name be damned to hell."

"Why?" Lex asked.

"Tell you later, right now we need to stay focused."

Behind them, the viewing area changed to a grid layout of the North America. The areas of blue which represented the worlds oceans began to blink white.

"What's happening?" Lex asked.

"Nothing right now, but I'm guessing this is showing us what the computer believes will happen," Lionel said. As he watched the viewing area, he smiled. "Good, good."

"What is? What have you done?" Lex asked.

"Like I said before, the Kryptonians had created technology which could harness every force of nature," Lionel said. "It didn't even rain on Krypton unless they wanted it too. Well, your friend Superman…"

"DO NOT SAY…"

"ALRIGHT" Lionel said loudly, a bit of impatience leaking into his voice. "SUPERMAN'S, father sent him here with a the ability to create this fortress. This was built with Kryptonian technology, and contains Kryptonian technology, including devices which can manipulate Earth's climate."

Lex's eyes went wide. "This place can control the weather?!" he shouted.

Lionel shrugged. "On a regional level I presume, which is more than enough for…"

"And that selfish pig has kept it all to himself," Lex said through clenched teeth. "I knew that alien was here for himself…"

Lionel cut Lex off. "Chances are he didn't know about it, not that I like giving him the benefit of the doubt, but the fact remains. It's obvious to me, based on what's happened to us in the future, that that bastard didn't know the first thing about his own people, and that includes all there is to know about this place." Lionel's smug smile returned. "Lucky for us, I found out about it."

Lex's eye brow cocked. "So what are you doing then? Are you going to make the arctic into a life sustaining habitat?"

Lionel laughed. "No. I'm just going to turn the heat on enough to melt the polar ice caps and raise the sea levels."

Lex's eyes grew wide, and he stepped back.

"What!" he said. "But that would kill, thousands…"

"Millions more likely, maybe even billions," Lionel said.

"Ok, fine," Lex said, angrily. "But this kind of disaster on a global scale would put the world into chaos. Land would be permanently lost to rising sea levels, along with famine, power outages, labor shortages. The world economies would collapse, and governments would be overrun. It would take decades to rebuild, and what good does that do me?!"

"Well…nothing actually," Lionel said casually.

"Nothing!" Lex shouted. "Then what does this accomplish for your plan!"

"Well, think about it," Lionel said. "If humanity ever wants to ascend to the next level of evolution, it has to hit some bumps along the road. They'll stumble and fall but…"

"This would be a catastrophe the world could never recover from!" Lex shouted.

Lionel smiled and playfully turned the device he carried in his hand. "Then I guess you better stop it," he said.

Lex stopped, his next words hanging on his tongue. Lionel tossed the device, which Lex caught clumsily. The chamber had grown warm at this point, and the humming was so loud they had to shout to hear each other.

"What do you mean I better stop it?" Lex asked.

Lionel shrugged. "I said you were like an artist who wasn't appreciated in his time," Lionel said. "If the world had only listened too you when Superman first appeared, the future I come from would never exist. We came back to stop this future, but I'm taking it one step farther. I'm going to make sure the world listens to you now, and forever after too."

"How?"

"By showing the world how dangerous Kryptonians are," Lionel said. "And giving you the means to stop them."

Behind the, the viewing screen began blinking. Several points on the grid map of North American began flashing red. The images in the viewing area zoomed out to a view of the entire world, where more blinking red spots appeared.

Lionel hummed. "Looks like your government has already detected it, and perhaps are preparing?"

"If they can detect the Fortress firing up some sort of weather machine that could melt the polar ice caps, they'll send nukes at it from every direction," Lex said.

"Good," Lionel said.

"Good?" Lex repeated. "You want this place destroyed."

Lionel shrugged. "It wouldn't hurt, in fact it would guarantee my future never occurs. But like I said before, I feel there is much to gain from this place, if only the right people are at the helm."

"And that's me?" Lex asked.

Lionel nodded. "This place is one giant weapon of mass destruction, and if humanity isn't the one with their finger over the trigger, then it should be destroyed."

"So how do I factor into this?" Lex asked.

"It's simple," Lionel replied. "They've already detected and deduced the threat and possibilities of this place, and are preparing to act. Now you step in and show them how to shut it down. Show them you understand this technology, and you can control and harness it. That will make you the worlds leading expert on Kryptonian technology that the world will now fear."

"And if I can't shut it down?" Lex asked.

"Then this place will be destroyed and my future will be prevented anyway," Lionel said. "Either way, my mission is accomplished."

The ground began to shake, and Lex felt his body break out in sweat. The humming was so loud it was deafening, yet he felt himself smile with glee. He looked down at the device Lionel had given him. Though it was from the future, it resembled technology from this era enough for Lex to know this was basically a remote control. It took him only half a second to realize Lionel must have programmed the alien computers to respond to this 'remote.'

"Brilliant," Lex said, forming a sly smile of his own.

Lionel smiled and nodded. "You better get going, we don't have much time."

"Where should I go?" Lex asked.

"I suggest to the Pentagon, to see your old friend, General Sam Lane."

**Space**

Space is silent, space is empty, space is cold, and space is quiet. It reminds me of the arctic, a place where there's nothing to hear, except my own thoughts.

There's nothing too see but stars, nothing too feel, except the vibrations of the device I'm carrying in my arms. It vibrates to tell me another second has gone by, another second until it explodes.

Moments ago, I was back in The Watchtower. Sherina's words were running through my mind over and over, and my gut felt as though it'd been punched.

"My people," I stammered. "How… no, that can't be?"

Everyone had gone quiet, watching Sherina and I as we made our exchange.

"NO?" she snapped, angrily. "I assure you, it is; and you are the one responsible."

Another vibration trickles through my fingers. Another second has past. It's the thirteenth times its vibrated, thirteen seconds to put as much time between me and the Watchtower. I'm guessing I only have thirty at most.

"How much do you really know of Krypton?" Sherina barked at me angrily.

I had, of course, defended my home planet. Everything I'd been able to learn, from both Jor'el and Brainiac's, has painted for me a picture of an advanced, peaceful, vibrant planet. While Earthlings were still painting pictures on cave walls, Krypton had already achieved wonders beyond their imaginations. And to think of them as conquerors capable of committing genocide throws a black stain across my perfect picture.

"I can tell you, Superman," she continued. "They are not all peaceful. They are like any other species competing in nature for survival. And once they realized the power our yellow sun gave them, they wasted no time trying to exterminate us."

"You're lying…" I said through clenched teeth.

"They viewed us as ants, pests, barbarians, and savages," she continued.

"They were not conquerors!"

"Then why were those who surrendered made slaves, and those who stood in their way crushed without a second thought. There's your _peaceful _people!" she spat.

Another vibration. I'm not sure what this device is capable of, I'm not sure of anything anymore. My glass is cracked, my world is spinning. All she's claiming; who she is, where she's from, it seems impossible, insane. But as she continued her story, the armor protecting my beliefs began to chip away.

"Wait a minute, slow down," Arthur said. "So does this mean more Kryptonians survived Krypton's explosion, and they've been wandering the Universe all this time?"

I thought of Kandor then, and before I could answer, before Bruce could answer either, Sherina quickly cut in. "No," she said flatly. "They survived Krypton's explosion yes. But they have _not _been wandering the Universe. They're already here, on Earth. Have been for a while now."

"Hiding?" Arthur asks.

"No."

I'd put the pieces in place by then, and I knew Bruce had too from the cold look he gave me. It was a look that said 'you should have seen this coming.' From there, there was no stopping her, no trying to hide the truth, and I would have to deal with the consequences later. I had to listen too, because I wanted to know what I'd done.

She looked at me coldly. "There was always a question if you'd ever told the rest of the Justice League," she said. "Guess we know now."

"Tell us what?" Barry asked.

I swallowed on the knot in my throat, and my head began spinning with every thought and emotion I'd ever had when it came to Kandor.

"Kandor," Bruce said. "The bottle is in the Fortress of Solitude."

"Wait, what bottle?" Arthur asked, sternly.

Ignoring Arthur, Sherina said, "You know the process would be long and difficult, and yet during that time you never thought of the possible consequences?"

That wasn't true, Damn it, it wasn't even close. I had tried to think about every consequence, a hundred times over. It's why I brought in Vic and Bruce, to make sure I stayed grounded, make sure I stayed rational, make sure I never became blinded by my… loneliness.

"I'm not even sure its possible…" I managed to say. "…Brainiac's…"

"It is possible," Sherina snapped. "And in just over two years from now, you succeed…"

Again and again, those words repeat in my head. _You succeed_. The device vibrates again, and I've lost track of how many seconds I have left. _You succeed. So it's possible; Kandor can be restored. The people trapped in suspended animation, my people, can have a chance to live again. Just the knowledge, just the thought, fills me with more determination than I've ever had before. All my doubts are erased, and are replaced with a sense of responsibility. I can save them, I know I can, because I've already done it, and if I can restore them, that means I ought …._

"…_and it nearly destroys us." _

_My mind goes blank then, and the device vibrates again._

_Bruce became the detective then, and asked, "What happens once Kandor is restored?" _

"_Mistakes are made," Sherina replied, her face softening. "Mistakes made by a few, on both sides, which affected us all. I won't be dishonest and say the Kryptonians are all to blame; there were plenty made by the humans too. But the Kryptonians are the one's with the power, they'll always be the one's with the power, and human's will never stand a chance against them. And we're here to make sure these mistakes never happen."_

_The broader picture started to become clear then. If time is a bunch of interconnected streams, then change one, and it affects the course of every one it was meant to cross with. Three people had come from the future, each tasked to correct the courses certain streams were traveling on. If they succeeded, and the mistakes are never made, then the future they come from will never exist. _

"_The one you met in Central City, his name is Caelus," Sherina said. "His mission was to assassinate Mayor Trambeline."_

"_Why?" Barry asked coldly. _

"_Trambeline used the arrival of the Kandorian's to quickly rise in power," Sherina said. "He only had to point out the obvious, that the Kandorian's would be as powerful as you, Superman, and we couldn't afford to just hope they always stayed on our side."_

_I've heard about Mayor Trambeline, both as a reporter, and from Barry. His platform for his entire political career has been built on anti-metahuman sentiment. He was elected in a landslide in Central City after demanding more Federal Funding to rebuild and repair damages caused by Flash and the Rogues. "He continued his rise to power all the way to the Presidency," Sherina continued. "Where he then made military alliances with all the worlds super powers against the Kandorian's._

_Arthur cocked an eyebrow. "He thought they could take on Kandor head on?"_

"_No," Sherina continued. "Kandor decided to take an isolationist stance after the U.N. agreed to give them a land mass to settle, colonize, and call their own. It was in the arctic, near Superman's Fortress of Solitude. At your direction, Superman, they used Kryptonian technology to Terraform the environment to suit their needs."_

_That had been my plan. I had thought the Arctic, near my fortress, would be the ideal place for Kandor to settle. I've never been sure how advanced Krypton's Terraforming technology was, but they would be strong enough to survive the Arctic's harsh environment. The yellow sun would give them all powers like mine, powers they didn't have under Rao. I wanted to make sure they had a safe, secluded, place to learn how to use their powers. _

"_But the Kandorian's isolationist ways worried World leaders," Sherina continued. "They tried pressuring the Kryptonians for knowledge, technology, and even to intervene in human affairs. _

_By this time I'd heard enough. "That would never happen," I said. "I would never allow Kandor to participate in human affairs. My father even left instructions…"_

"_Your father is dead!" she snapped. "And you're not really so ignorant enough to believe that everyone on a world as vast as Krypton would believe as your father did? The people of Krypton had competing ideologies amongst themselves, just as any other civilization does. And there were plenty among them who lacked the compassion and respect you pretend to have." _

_I couldn't speak then. I wanted too, badly. I wanted to shout at her at the top of my lungs; condemn what she said as if it were heresy or blasphemy. But I couldn't, probably because I was starting to believe her story. _

_And now, in the quiet of space, where I can only hear my own thoughts, I'm believing it more. "But, as I said, mistakes were made on both sides," Sherina continued. "Worry grew to mistrust when the Kandorian's continued their isolationist ways. It was fueled by fear, and rightly so. President Trambeline began demanding more communication, cooperation, trade, and transparency from the Kryptonians."_

_Barry rolled his eyes. "Oh boy, I can imagine those campaign speeches." _

"_Trambeline's support grew, and more and more nations joined his military alliance. Under his direction, they began to stockpile their militaries. They built defense networks, designed weapons effective against Kryptonians, and even developed plans for an invasion force should that ever become necessary. They believed if they built of their militaries, and posed as a united front, the Kandorian's would become more cooperative in trade efforts, they were wrong. The Kandorian's took their arms race as hostile, and the feuding ideologies within the Kryptonian's came into conflict, and the leaders who advocated for separate and peaceful relations with humans lost their influence within the ruling council._

"_With each threat and demand Trambeline made, the Kryptonians made one in return," she continued. "There rhetoric escalated, and neither side was willing to budge, or disarm. War became inevitable."_

_Another vibration thrums through my fingers as I remember the cold look Bruce had been giving me this entire time. I'm sure he knew what I was thinking, and I'm sure it didn't make him any less angry. _

"_So what finally broke the camels back?" Barry asked. _

_That was the real question all along; the brink, the push, the tipping point. The answer would tell us, me, who the aggressors were, and who bears the blame. Earth or Krypton; I don't know which answer I'm hoping for. I was born on Krypton, but it's a place I've only ever seen in dreams. Earth has been my home, but I've never been one of them. I've seen first hand humanities anger and cruelty, along with its hunger for power which breeds a willingness to conquer and control. In its darkest days, Humanity can be very ruthless, very cruel, and very dangerous. _

_However, I've also seen their capacity for good, and I've seen it in the most unlikely times. In the aftermath of epic disasters, natural or otherwise, where humanity has suffers devastating losses, their best always bursts to the surface. They come together then, thinking nothing of themselves, and only how they can help their friends, neighbors, and even faceless strangers lying wounded in the streets. It's in those times, that humanity inspires me._

_I guess I've always wanted to believe the best of both Earth and Krypton. I'm sure Bruce would think that's naïve, but I've never really cared what he thinks about that. When I first considered restoring Kandor, I had always imagined my two people coming together, bringing the best out of each other, and achieving wonders like nobody has ever dreamed. _

_I waited for her answer, my emotions swaying between eagerness and dread. However, she bit her lip then and said, "Nobody is sure. There are gaps in our records. Eye-witness accounts are mostly unreliable, and many mysteriously vanished."_

"_Vanished huh," Bruce said. _

_Sherina glared at him. "Most likely captured by the Kryptonians for interrogation…"_

"_Or to keep them quiet," Bruce said, plainly. _

"_But what happened when the war escalated?" Arthur said, coolly. _

_She looked down, and curled her lower lip tensely. "Measures were taken, by both sides," she said. "The Kryptonians used their weather manipulating technology to burn the rain forests, poison our farm lands, and raise the temperature in the oceans, lakes, and rivers. Food became scarce on a global scale, and most of it was rationed for the worlds armies. _

"_But what their weather manipulating technology did not destroy, their armies did. The Kryptonians cut through the world armies like a knife cuts through butter. It would only take a dozen or so soldiers to wipe out entire legions of humans._

"_So humanity resorted to desperate actions. Actions that would weaken the Kryptonians, but cost us dearly."_

"_The cold fusion reactor!" Barry said. "You fired it at the sun, didn't you!"_

_How desperate had humanity gotten that it was forced to destroy its largest life sustaining force? I can't imagine it, I don't want to imagine it. Sherina went on to explain that a cold fusion bomb was fired into the sun, which aged it considerably, turning its radiation from the yellow spectrum to the red spectrum. _

_The idea was to create an even playing field, where the Kryptonians would loose most of their powers granted by Earth's yellow sun. _

"_But that didn't work, did it," Bruce said. _

_A vein in her neck bulged. "No," she said, tensely. "While the radiation from the red sun did strip away most of the Kryptonians powers, and we still didn't stand a chance against their technology. We only succeeded in delaying the inevitable."_

"_So now you're here," Bruce said. "Trying to make sure the events which led to this future never occur." _

_Sherina's eyes narrowed. "At the point in time where I come from, the war is all but over," she said. "Humanity has held on as long as it can. Wretched, hidden, forced underground in most places, but surviving as either part of the resistance, or as slaves. We never stood a chance against them, and we never will, they're just too powerful. So we realized our best chance to defeat the Kryptonians was in the past." _

_She explained the rest then, in great detail. They wanted to take out the pieces of the puzzle, divert the paths of time from intersecting with one another. They studied as much historical data as they could, studied the timelines as thoroughly as possible, and found where the cornerstones that lead to their future laid. It came down to three aspects; Mayor Trambeline, the cold fusion reactor… and me. Eliminate us, and she could prevent her future. Their attack of A.R.G.U.S. was to erase any data about Kryptonians, hoping no one would ever be tempted to open Pandora's box. _

_My mind stopped spinning then, as all I could do was ask myself how many lives, if their plan succeeded, would be saved. _

"_But there's more isn't there," Bruce had said once she was finished. "You can eliminate a ideological leader and erase research, but why attack Wonder Woman?"_

"_To draw him out." Sherina nodded at me curtly. _

"_And you wanted to kill him?" Bruce asked. Sherina nodded. "Where did you get the venom and the ring?"_

_Sherina smiled, almost pride fully. "It takes a long time to search ruins," she said, then her smile faded. "Finding the remains of Gotham itself took me a lot of time and research, and when I finally found it, it took me even longer to find the remains of my ancestors home, and longer still to find the hidden caves beneath the foundation."_

_Bruce's expression softens slightly. "Was there…anything left?" he asked._

"_A pair of tombs on the far side of the grounds," she replied. "They were overgrown, but intact."_

_Bruce nodded softly, and became quiet then. _

"_Why did you want to kill me?" I asked._

_Her hard stare returns. "You're the final piece," she says. "Without you, Kandor can never be restored, and the future I come from will never occur."_

"_How could you guarantee that?" Barry asks. "Couldn't anyone restore this - Kandor?"_

_Sherina pierces her lips together. _

"_And Mayor Trambeline isn't the first to come out against us, and he won't be the last," Arthur adds. "Get him out of the way and another politician would just step up in his place."_

"_And you didn't succeed anyway," Barry says. "Your friend…"_

"_Caelus," Sherina had cut in. _

"…_yeah, Caelus. He couldn't do it."_

_Sherina scoffed. "Of course he couldn't. It's not in him to kill."_

"_But it's in you?" Bruce asked. _

_Sherina narrowed her eyes. "I do what I have to, and taking one life to save billions sounds like a fair trade to me." _

_The Wayne spirit runs deep within her, though hardened considerably throughout the generations. _

_The device vibrates again, and I wonder how far I've flown from The Watchtower. I don't know how powerful their technology is, and I don't want to take a chance. I feel I've taken too many of those already. _

_I don't know much about time travel, and I certainly don't know which theory of time and relativity too believe. The future could always be in motion, with each action we take constantly molding and changing it. Or the future could be set in stone, and nothing we do can change it. _

_But Sherina believes the future can be changed, otherwise she wouldn't be here. Her story is wild yes, and ultimately I have no way to verify if she's telling the truth. I don't even have the benefit of hearing a Kandorian's side of the story. _

_However, there are only three explanations for her story; either she's a lying, she's crazy, or she's telling the truth. The steady beating of her heart and the conviction she's had in her voice tell me she's not willingly lying. The fear she showed before we fought, and the well thought out strategy she used against me tell me she's not crazy. That means only one thing; she must be telling the truth. _

_And if she's telling the truth, than all this is my fault. _

_I told them everything then. I told Arthur and Barry how I retrieved Kandor's bottle from Brainiac, and how it's been kept in my Fortress ever since. I tell them how the people of Kandor are alive, but miniaturized and held in a state of suspended animation. Then, I tell them how I asked Bruce and Vic to help me restore Kandor, and how I asked them to keep it secret. _

_Their reactions were mixed, but what could I expect. Not much was said after I told them, but I didn't let myself see their final reactions, I'm not sure I wanted too. _

"_I'll make you a promise," I said turning back to Sherina. "I won't restore Kandor."_

_Her eyes narrowed at me. "Not now, or ever?" she asked. _

"_Not on Earth," I say. "If I am ever able to find a way, I will find a planet of their own to settle. They will be kept away from Earth, and Earth will be kept away from them, and two dominate species will never fight over Earth."_

_Her heart began beating faster then, and we stared at each other intently. I meant what I said, every word, and I wanted her to know that. I can't take the risk of restoring Kandor on Earth if it means humanity will face genocide. However, I can't just leave Kandor in Brainiac's bottle, either. The people there, my people, are still alive, and they deserve a chance to live. At least that's what I tell myself. _

_The truth is, I have a yearning for my people; and yearning to belong. I grew up amongst humanity, but I've never been apart of it. That lesson has been difficult, even painful at times. I love Earth, and I believe humanity is capable of so much, but I'm not one of them. For that reason, I can't promise that I'll never stop trying to restore Kandor, and now I even know its possible._

_Her face wrinkled in disgust then, and she said, "I'm sorry. But that's not good enough."_

_My eyes narrowed, as the sound of her heart beating wildly echoed in my ears. "Well it's just going to have to…."_

_She took several short, hard, panicked breaths, and hard breaths, before she screamed wildly and lashed her teeth into her bicep. _

_Before I could stop her, she tore away a piece of flesh from her arm. Blood began to gush, and it dripped down her chin as she screamed again, this time in pain. The others cried out in surprise and disgust; even Batman stepped back slightly. But I used my vision and looked into the hunk of flesh she tore from her arm, and spit onto the ground beside her. Embedded in her flesh on a microscopic level, I saw a small box. It contained complex circuitry and wiring which I'm sure hasn't even been invented yet, and it's small enough to avoid detections. And with my supervision I can also see tiny and faint radio waves emitting from the device, telling me this device is a transmitter of some kind. but large enough to contain complex wiring, and a transmitter of some kind. Then Vic's voice sounded over the com. _

"_Guys, Diana, she's waking up," he said._

_His words were lost on me as I heard the first beep at nearly the same time. I didn't know how much time I had, and Vic was several rooms away. I had to act fast. _

_I dashed from the brig and dove through the floor to the level below us, into the medical bay. _

_The device beeped a second time. _

_Vic didn't have time to look surprised, and I don't think Diana ever saw me at all as I ripped off the device strapped to her chest, and smashed through the walls between me and the docking bay. _

_The airlock was closed, so I flew through the bulk head doors. As I hoped, the emergency bulk head doors to switched on and closed behind me in a matter of seconds, sealing the rest of the tower from exposure to space. _

_The device beeped a third time._

_Clutching the device tightly in my arms, I hurl through hanger doors, and into open space. I fly as fast as I can, hoping to put as much distance between me, the Watchtower, and even Earth as I can. _

_All other sounds became mute then, and I was left with my own thoughts once more. It was then I realized this was part of her plan. She'd tried to kill me before, back on the Florida coast, and nearly succeeded. But she's just like Bruce; she thinks of everything. She had a backup plan, and this was it. _

_Luring Diana to fight her first was part of her contingency plan, as was this vest. Sherina counted on us bringing her to the Watchtower if she couldn't defeat me on Earth, she also counted us bringing Diana to the Watchtower instead of a regular hospital. She counted on us taking the exact actions we took, and exploited them. _

_The device beeped again._

_I don't know what type of weapon's they've developed in the future, but if they've stood against Kryptonians, then I'm guessing they've found a way to kill them. I have no doubt this vest has a means to kill me, and as such, it would kill my friends as well. I'll be damned if I'm going to let that happen; I'll be damned if anyone is going to die because of me. _

_Another beep._

_But that's the whole problem, isn't it. This is why I'm here, hurling through space with a futuristic explosive, in the first place. People died because of what I did, because of what I will do. My hopes didn't matter, and neither did my intentions. Once set on its path, fate took its own course. Humanity would be better off I didn't restore Kandor. But Kandor wouldn't. _

"_Clark!" Batman shouts over the comm. "Clark!"_

_There's another beep, and the device begins to grow warm. _

_How can I look at Kandor's bottle, knowing its possible to restore it, but I've chosen not too? I'm the judge and executioner now, and if I can restore them, does that mean I have an obligation too? But do I have the right to put humanity at risk?_

"_Clark, answer me damn it!" Bruce's voice screams over the comm._

_The vest springs to life then, and I know this is it. Whatever capacity this device has, I'll bear the full brunt of it, but no one else. Yet, too my surprise, it doesn't grow warm or glow as I expected. Instead, a bleak light bursts forth, and the space ahead of me begins to ripple. Then, a bright light tears through space, creating a black hole directly in my path. _

"_It's not what you think!" Bruce shouts._

_I realized it only a moment before he said it. I know that kind of hole, I've seen it before. The device has created a rift through normal space and time, an entry to another dimension, a prison dimension discovered by my father. Bruce is right, again. This device isn't an explosion, it's a projector; A Phantom Zone Projector. _

_The hole is already beginning to collapse as the device shuts off and goes cold. I'm flying as fast as the speed of sound, I can't avoid it, And as my momentum carries me past the threshold I can't help but think… maybe this is for the best. _


	5. Chapter 5

**Justice League: The Price of Tomorrow**

**Part V**

**Washington DC**

Colonel Steve Trevor's eyes snapped open. The room was dark, the air was cool, and all he could hear was the dead silence of nothing. Until there was a soft rapping against his door.

His military instincts kicking into full gear, Trevor quickly rolled and ducked behind his hospital bed. His muscles flared in soreness, causing him to wince, but he quickly forgot about the pain as a thin sliver of light entered the room, and the door opened.

It was the middle of the night, but Washington is a city that never truly sleeps. Trevor learned long ago to always be alert and ready, knowing full well who and what could be lurking in the shadows.

The light poured in from the hallway outside, and a silhouetted figure appeared. To Trevor's surprise, the two guards assigned to watch - or guard- him were slouched unconscious in their chairs, their guns hanging carelessly at their sides.

Trevor swallowed and gripped the edge of the bed tightly. A part of him had expected this. He was too familiar with Washington's ways not to be; but another part of him was hoping it wouldn't come to this, that he'd be looked on with favor for all he'd done in service too his country.

But he shook those feeling aside as the silhouetted figure crept in closer, and began assessing what he was sure would be a fight for his life.

Trevor was good in a fight, but assassins today weren't likely to shoot or stab you with a knife They were trained to make their marks appear to have died of natural causes or accidents. Working with A.R.G.U.S., Trevor had developed a sense of paranoia that was almost instinctual, and as his role with A.R.G.U.S. diminished as his relationship with the Justice League became strained, Trevor's paranoid instincts had been on alert more and more.

They'd never been higher than in the last few weeks. With Anthony Cartwright oozing his way deeper and deeper into A.R.G.U.S' heart, his and Amanda Waller relationship had grown less trustworthy. Now, he had been relieved of his duty, the attack on A.R.G.U.S. used as a convenient excuse Cartwright had been waiting for. This meant Trevor was now a loose end.

He knew too much, about all the wrong things. Meta-humans, Military operations, and of course, his relationship with the Justice League, no matter how strained, all made him a liability.

But to his surprise, the assassin wasn't wearing typical dark fatigues, but strangely loose fitting clothing. And from the dangling strands of hair that glinted off the hallway light, Trevor could tell the assassin hadn't bothered to wear a mask either.

_Perhaps they don't think so highly of me._

Unsure of whether to be relieved, or insulted, another silhouette stepped into view. _That's more like it. _However, Trevor frowned when the other began rubbing his hands nervously together with his shoulders hunched tightly around his neck.

His draw dropped when they spoke. "This is his room right?" the second silhouette whispered as the first lifted his hands in front of him and stepped timidly into the darkness.

"It was the only one with guards," replied the first.

"Oh, god, don't remind me," said the second, causing Trevor to cock an eyebrow. "Where is he though?"

Trevor fought the urge to sigh, and tried to focus. If these were the assassins they'd sent after him, fine; he could make easy work of them and finally get out of this hospital room. Where he'd go and what he'd do, he didn't know, but he'd figure it out, he always did.

Slowly and carefully, Trevor slipped silently towards the end of the bed and crouched. He crept up to the privacy curtain, knowing his would be assassins would not see his shadow since the room was pitch black.

"Shh," said the first harshly. "You want the nurses to hear you?!." The first silhouette stepped nearly even with the bed, and Trevor couldn't hold back his sigh.

Worst assassins ever.

The first silhouette could barely manage a surprised yelp before Trevor had wrapped his arms tightly around his neck in a sleeper hold, and turned to face the other. The other cried out startled, and fell backwards onto the sink next to the door.

"SHHH," the first whispered harshly, despite the sleeper hold.

"SHHHHHH" whispered the other while struggling too his feet.

"SHHHH!" Trevor whispered, harshest of all, and not wanting the nurses to hear them either. The two froze, and Trevor said, "Who are you?!"

"Colonel Cartwright, Colonel Cartwright!" the second whispered nervously. "It's us! Mickelson and Day."

Trevor's eyes went wide as he recognized the voice now that he was speaking normally.

"Dr. Day?" Trevor asked, surprised.

"Yes, yes, and that is Dr. Mickelson who you have in those rather burly arms of yours."

Trevor glanced down, and thanks to the dim light from the hallway, saw he was holding Dr. Mickelson, whose face was turning a deeper shade of purple. Trevor released him immediately, and Dr. Mickelson bent over and gasped.

"What are you two doing here?" Trevor asked, helping Mickelson to his feet

"Here to…get you out," Mickelson said between breaths. Dr. Day nodded beside him.

"What?" Trevor said.

"No time, no time, we'll have to explain on the way," Day said quickly grabbing Trevor by the gown and pulling him towards the door.

A panting Mickelson followed, and Day lead them through the hallway, past an abandoned nurses station, towards the elevator.

Trevor looked back at Remy and Boomer.

"What happened to them?" Trevor asked under his breath.

"Them?" Mickelson said, his breathing nearly returned to normal. "We took care of them all right sir."

"But… they're highly trained special ops soldiers," Trevor said incredulously.

Mickelson began bobbing his head back and forth with a prideful smile. "Well you should remind them of that later. It was nothing really. Slipped something in their evening meal, they never saw it coming, and they'll be out for an hour or so, giving us plenty of time to get to work before anyone reports you missing."

"Get to work?"

"Yes, yes, lots to do, lots to do," said a frantic Day.

The two explained everything on the elevator and on their journey to the front lobby. They'd brought him a change of clothes, plain jeans, a t-shirt, and a brown leather jacket, which Trevor quickly through on before they left the elevator. Casually, they strolled through the front lobby, looking now like civilians who'd come to see a friend or family member, and into the parking lot.

They got into Day's run down late 80's Honda Accord, who drove like a little old lady out of the garage.

After the attack on A.R.G.U.S., they'd continued tracking the three people from the portal. They told Trevor about the assassination attempt on Mayor Trambeline in Central City, the cyber attack on S.T.A.R. labs, and Superman and Wonder Woman's fight against the woman. Trevor tried to break in once or twice to explain he already knew about the attacks, but the two were speaking too quickly, and on top of each other. However, he found himself speechless when they reported an action he hadn't heard yet.

"And then the bald guy…" said Day.

"The one who attacked us," Mickelson broke in.

"Yeah, yeah, he broke Lex Luthor out of prison."

Trevor stammered. "He… what!"

"Yeah, killed everyone inside too, just like at A.R.G.U.S." Day said, seriously.

"Why haven't I heard anything about that on the news!"

"It's being kept on the down low, hush, hush, incognito" Mickelson said as Day steered the car onto interstate. "We've tried our best to hack into the camera feeds, but that prison is wound more tightly than The Pentagon. All we could see was one baldy went in, and two came out. Then, they whisked away north, and we lost them."

"Lost them? How could you loose them? Our satellite feeds cover the entire world from multiple vantage points.

"Well we probably would have found them again if we weren't interrupted," Day said, defensivly.

"Yeah, yeah," Mickelson said. "That was when we got this phone call, and we were told to grab some stuff, and get you out of the hospital."

Trevor cocked an eyebrow, then gripped the door handle tightly as Day pulled a hard right off the interstate into the outskirts of the city. He swallowed, hoping his two friends hadn't been convinced, or fooled, into getting him out of the hospital only to be brought to a secluded location where a real assassin could be waiting.

"Who called you?" he asked slowly.

Mickelson started bobbing his head again, beaming from ear to ear.

"Batman!" Mickelson said.

Trevor blinked, several times, and wondered if this could get any wierder.

"Batman?"

"Yes, Buh, buh Batman," Day said, slowing the car and turning into an old abandoned warehouse.

"Batman called you," Trevor repeated, skeptically.

"Yup yup sure did. Hey does he always sound like he's got a bunch of sand stuck in his throat?" Mickelson asked.

"He said once we got you out, he'd …." A phone sounded, cutting Dr. Day off.

Mickelson stilled his head, and answered with childlike giddiness. "Yello, special agent Dr. Mickelson here."

Trevor blinked rapidly, wondering if this was just a very lucid dream.

"Yup, we got'em out, nooooo problem…"

Forgetting whatever Batman was calling about, Trevor felt uneasy. He'd done everything he could to keep Dr. Day and Mickelson off the grid, his little secret.

"Did everything just as you said too…. Yup got that too."

Batman was the one person in the Justice League Trevor never trusted, and neither did the rest of the Government. Finding out who Batman was had been a secret priority of A.R.G.U.S. for years.

"…Yeah, yeah, we're here, just as you told us too…"

The truth was, Batman couldn't be controlled; not then, not now, not ever. And what Washington couldn't control, they disliked, or feared. The rest of the Justice League at least appeared somewhat reasonable, and at one time there was a healthy relationship between the Trevor's people and the Justice League. But those were the old days, and of an age long past.

"Yeah sure, here he is." Mickelson tossed the phone to Trevor. "She wants to talk to you."

"She?" Trevor said, slowly putting the phone to his ear.

"Steve!"

Trevor mind instantly went blank at the sound of her voice. It had been a while since he'd heard it, and the last time hadn't been pleasant.

"Diana?" he began. "I.. I saw what happened on the news." He tried to sound strong, he tried not to stammer, but the knot in his throat was making it difficult. "Are you…"

"I'm fine Steve. Listen, it's about Superman."

**Outskirt's of Metropolis**

Lex checked his watch. The sun was high over head, and Lex had been leaning against a tree, appreciate the cover it provided from the hot sun, across the street from the entrance of the Military Base outside of Metropolis since early that morning.

The lunch time rush was about to end, and the busy worker bee's of Metropolis were hustling their way back to their jobs, including the base's military personal. For perhaps the hundredth time, Lex patted the device in his pocked, watching patiently, looking for signs of military mobilization he was sure would begin soon.

The world would soon be facing a environmental crisis, a global environmental crises, caused by the very home of their precious savior, Superman.

Lex had been there when his descendant, Lionel, activated the Fortress of Solitude's Terraforming engines to melt the polar ice caps. He'd also been there when Lionel had effectively taken control of the Fortress' computer systems.

Then, thanks in large part to a swift means of transportation from the future, Lex had been able to reach Metropolis in a metaphorical blink of an eye. Lex wasn't sure how the technology worked, but recognized and understood the quantum theory behind it, since he'd proposed it in college. He'd gotten a "C" on that paper, which was typical of his idiot professors, so Lex made a mental note to assign his applied science division to create this technology once he'd saved the world, and regained control of Lex Corp.

He checked his watch again, almost wishing the journey here had taken longer. Though a patient man, waiting was becoming increasingly difficult.

It had been a long time since Lex had been at this base, almost as long as it had been since he'd heard from the commander of this base, General Sam Lane. Though Lex didn't have any friends, he had a professional respect for General Lane, especially since they saw eye to eye on the worlds Meta-humans, and particularly Superman.

While the rest of the world had been goggling like school girls with a crush over Superman, Lex had never been fooled. Superman was no different than Brainiac or Darkseid in his mind, and he often felt frustrated that the world seemed to admire an alien who did nothing but save them - from other aliens like himself. Yet admire them they did, and in turn, had branded Lex a criminal.

For several, long, years, Lex had watched from his prison cell everyday for signs that the world was coming to its senses, and becoming brave enough to question its once unshakable belief in their savior from the skies, Superman. It seemed lately they had; and with public opinion turning against Meta-humans, and particularly Superman, the time seemed ripe for a good exposure.

The world would finally shake their blind and crippling faith in a man who was nothing more than a self-serving invader, and instead turn to one of their own- him.

Yes, waiting was difficult.

By his estimation, the ice from the polar ice caps should be melting at an alarming rate by now, a rate that would not be missed by the worlds climatologist. In fact, Lex was sure even the President of The United States and the rest of the world leaders had already been alerted, and had there "best" advisors sitting in their over spaced offices pacing back and forth in tax payer funded air conditioning fretting and planning their responses.

But it would all be in vain.

The first sign he'd been looking for appeared then. A fancy black car escorted by several armored vehicles passed through the parking lot without barely taking a moment to show their credentials before pulling up directly in front of the main entrance. Two soldiers, dressed in full military fatigues and sporting a pair of rather large automatic weapons stepped out of the black car first, before a rather stern looking General Lane followed.

Casually, Lex left the shelter of the tree and stepped out into the sunshine which made his bald head instantly tingle and itch. He ignored it however, and made his way towards the entrance.

The General was immediately met by two aides who began chatting in his ear urgently. The man nodded here and there, and Lex could tell his mind was spinning.

Just as they were about to enter the facility, Lex called out, "General Lane!"

General Sam Lane turned, glared, then narrowed his eyes angrily.

"Lex Luthor!" he shouted. "What the hell are you doing here? In broad day light! Every CIA agent from New York to L.A. is scrawling the country looking for you. You're considered a National Security threat…"

"I assure you, I am not, General," Lex said, striding casually closer, and holding his hands out unthreateningly. "Rather, my arrival here has been timed perfectly, because you'll need me soon."

Several guards clicked their rifles and looked to the General. Lex strolled past them as though they weren't even there. General Lane took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly.

"Not the time Lex. I've got more pressing matters to attend too." General Lane said, then turned to his guards, "Take Mr. Luthor and put him in a holding cell."

The guards moved to surround Lex, aiming their weapons at his chest.

Lex sighed.

"The Polar ice caps are melting due to Kryptonian technology emanating from the Arctic circle, or Superman's Fortress of Solitude," Lex said, as though he were bored.

The two assistants whirled around, alarm ripped across their faces.

"That's _classified _information," one said.

The other spoke right on top of her. "If he knows, its because he's committed treason."

General Lane whirled around, his eyes meeting Lex's as the assistants continued to prattle on.

He held up a hand, and they both became silent.

"Alright Lex, what do you know," he said.

"Enough," Lex replied. "And I'm well aware of the possible responses the U.S. Government has prepared for such an emergency as this."

General Lane pressed his lips together tightly, and remained quiet.

"However," Lex said, smiling again. "Why don't we see if we can stop this first, and finally show the world what a menace Superman really is."

**The Watchtower**

With a quick snap, the Boom Tube collapsed just as Day crossed the threshold into their destination, the Justice League Watchtower. Diana and Batman stood to great them, neither wearing exactly welcoming looks.

Trevor took a breath, put on a dutiful expression, and nodded curtly. But inside his heart had skipped a beat when he saw Diana. Besides a scrape or two, and what looked like a nasty bruise forming along the side of her head, she appeared just as stern, strong, and as beautiful as ever.

Mickelson stumbled ahead, taking in a long, panoramic view of the Watchtower. "Wow, this place is awesome! You should totally have Comic-con here." he exclaimed. He continued forward until he came across the Control Center and the great viewing glass, where below, Earth was in a full, breathtaking, view.

Trevor rolled his eyes slightly, then remembered how much he owed them. "Um, hi, this is Dr's…"

"Mickelson and Day, we met already" Batman said while quickly turning on his heels and walking away.

Diana lingered a moment, staring deeply into Trevor's face. "They've been very helpful," she said, but then followed Batman's lead, and motioned for them to follow.

Trevor swallowed on the knot in his throat before following, Mickelson and Day in tow.

On the phone, Diana hadn't said much. In a nutshell, Superman was in trouble, and they needed Trevor's help. She didn't say with what, only that Batman believed the line could be bugged, so he should be prepared to be boomed almost immediately to the Watchtower.

Trevor didn't even get a chance to ask if she was ok before she hung up, and a few moments later, true to her word, a boom tube had opened up inside the abandoned warehouse building Day had driven them too.

Before they entered it, however, Trevor noticed that Mickelson and Day had been rummaging around in the trunk, tossing aside blankets and withdrawing a device beneath them.

He'd recognized it immediately.

"That's top secret," he said. "Where did you get …"

"Batman told us," Mickelson said, while helping Day lift it out of the trunk. Trevor clenched his teeth; was there anything they could keep from Batman?

They were taken to one of the labs, where Cyborg, Aquaman, and The Flash were all looking intently over a computer screen.

"They're here," Batman said, immediately causing them to look up. An instant later, Trevor felt and heard a quiet whoosh beside him, and Mickelson and Day both gasped as a red blur materialized in front of them.

"Easy now," Flash said. "Is this it?" he asked, moving to take the device out of their hands.

Before the two scientist could speak, Batman grunted an acknowledgement, and Trevor felt another quiet whoosh, and Flash re-materialized back by the computer, device in hand.

The device was simple and insignificant in appearance. Able to fit into a simple moving box, it had a bulky and dismissive metal body crudely screwed and welded together, with a small viewing port on one end, and a computer screen no bigger than a Q-pad on the other.

Cyborg looked it over quickly before flipping open a panel; a mess of twisting wires and blinking lights revealed beneath it.

"Man, I've never seen anything like this," Cyborg said. Diana had joined the others behind the computer, while Batman stood close to Trevor, his cowl shifting between them.

Trevor frowned, then cleared his throat. "Yeah well, you're not meant too, that is the property of the United States…"

"This would go a lot faster if you told us how it works," Batman said with a growl.

Trevor stammered. He didn't know, actually, he only knew of the devices existence because he'd authorized it. "It's just a prototype. We've …never actually gotten it to work."

"What do you need to make it work?" Batman asked, coldly.

Trevor clenched his fists, feeling his chest grow tight and ears become warm. "Like I was trying to say before, that device is the property of the United States Government, and if I had known you asked my two friends to steal and bring it to you, I'd have never agreed to come here…"

"Superman's in the Phantom Zone," Diana said.

Trevor stopped, his eyes reaching across the room to meet Diana's, and saw what she was hiding behind them.

Trevor didn't know much about the Phantom Zone, except that it was a parallel dimension of sorts discovered and used by the Kryptonian's as a sort of prison. There was only device that Trevor knew of on Earth that could connect this dimension to the Phantom Zone, and it was in Superman's Fortress.

However, since learning of its existence, the United States had been trying to create a device of their own to access the Phantom Zone.

From what Trevor had heard, from Superman himself actually, was that the Phantom Zone was a sort of shadow dimension which ran parallel to their own. However, it wasn't constrained by the same rules of physics. In the Phantom Zone, one didn't need to eat, sleep, or worry about physical harm or ageing, but one's senses were also dulled or obsolete. It was a place of emptiness, where one couldn't feel pain, but pleasure neither. And Superman was trapped in it.

It was fear Trevor saw behind Diana's eyes was fear, a fear she was trying to hide, and would have been successful, if Trevor hadn't known about her and Superman.

"So is that what that thing does?" Mickelson asked eagerly behind him.

Trevor snapped. "It's top…"

"It's suppose to open an inter-dimensional doorway to the Phantom Zone," Batman said. "Can you get it to work?"

Mickelson smiled gleefully before rushing past Trevor with a skip in his step. "Maybe," he said, motioning for Day to follow. Day followed tepidly, while Trevor sighed and rolled his eyes in defeat.

Aquaman, Flash, and Cyborg stepped back as the pair began to pour over the computer screen. Their eyes shifted back and forth rapidly, muttering as they did, sometimes to themselves, and other times to each other. Trevor looked on, with Batman beside him, and Diana standing alone, with her arms crossed and eyes looking down. Trevor stole quick glances at her here and there. He saw her swallow, chew on her lip, and cross and uncross her arms; gestures Trevor had only seen her make when she felt impatient, nervous, or helpless.

Trevor cleared his throat, deciding he needed to refocus. "So what happened…"

"Not now," Batman said.

Trevor bit his lip to stop himself from speaking, and simultaneously felt a wave of tension sweep through them. He fought the urge to sneak another look at Diana, and instead watched as his, both current and former, worked on with an intense sense of urgency, all the while a feeling of worthlessness growing inside him.

"Well… looks like they've got everything you'd need," Mickelson said, looking up with a hopeful smile on his face.

"Um, yeah, I concur," Day added, folding his hands nervously.

"Really?" Flash asked.

"Yes, but like Colonel Trevor said, this is just a proto-type, and not complete. It's still missing some key pieces…"

"Like what?" Batman asked sharply. Both Day and Mickelson tilted their heads to see Batman was now standing over them, glaring intently. The smile faded from Mickelson and Day tucked his head into his shoulders slightly.

Trevor frowned; Batman was trying to be quick and direct while resorting to his usual tactic, intimidation.

"Well, um, you see," Day said, drawing Batman's attention to him. "T-t-t-to open a gateway to another dimension, you have to be able to sufficiently blend a section of space between the two."

"Yeah yeah,…" Mickelson said, his voice shaking slightly and his hands gripping the side of the table so tightly his knuckles had turned white. "What he's saying is you attune a precise location in space and time to vibrate at the same frequency. To do this, you need a sort of tuning fork if you will, an object that vibrates at the same frequency as the dimension you wish to travel too."

"So you need an item that's from the Phantom Zone," Batman said.

"Yes!" Both Day and Mickelson said together.

"We'll get one," Batman said. "Anything else?"

Day began again. "Well that, um, brings us to the next requirement, which is slightly more difficult. A power source…"

"An immense power source," Mickelson added.

"…that I'm not sure is readily available," Day concluded.

"A power source on what scale?" Cyborg asked.

The pair turned to Cyborg, and color returned to both their faces.

"A big one," Mickelson said.

"Beyond Atomic," Day added.

Laughter suddenly sounded behind them. "Which… you'll never…have."

Trevor turned, and his eyes grew wide as he saw a woman, laying prone on one of their medical beds, overly strapped and bound. They had set her in a corner, and Trevor was surprised he hadn't seen her when he first arrived. With a closer look, he saw the woman was wretched and ragged, like an old worn doll. Even speaking seemed to take a great deal of effort for her.

Then, on an even closer look, he recognized her.

"My god," he said. "You're from the portal!" Then, something clicked, and he turned to Diana. "And she's the one who…who…"

Diana's narrowed eyes stopped him from finishing. This was the woman who had fought and beaten her. She'd also fought Superman, but the media had never found out the outcome of their fight.

Trevor blinked and shook his head to cast away the images of the fight broadcasted on TV. He turned back to Batman, a mix of anger and apprehension rising within him. "You haven't tortured her, have you?" he asked, accusingly.

Batman remained perfectly still. "Not yet."

The two glared at each other, until Batman's eyes shifted away from Trevor, and away from his intimidation, to concern. Diana had approached the woman, fists clenched and shoulders stiff.

"Tell us, woman," Diana said, standing just over her. "What kind of power would they need?"

The woman smiled, apparently unimpressed by Diana's efforts to intimidate her. "It hasn't been invented yet, won't be for another thirty years at least."

"Forget her Wonder Woman, we'll just retrieve the device," Batman said. "We can study its power source, and I'll have a duplicate made within twenty four…"

"It won't be …of use to you," the woman said. "It was made for… a one time use."

Trevor saw Batman clench his fists and tighten his jaw, as if he were about to perform an interrogation. But then he slowly release his fists and relaxed his jaw, and simply turned away to join the others behind the computer screen. Trevor cocked and eyebrow; for Batman to walk away from her meant he must believe her.

Flash, meanwhile, shook his head vigorously. "I can do it," he said. "We'll hook it up to the Cosmic Treadmill and I'll generate enough energy by…"

"No…you can't Flash," the woman said. "That…was tried… in my time."

Flash shook his head, angrily. "Yes I can. I've traveled through time before, through the Speed Force, granted accidentally, but if that's possible, so should this."

"You won't have too," Batman said, causing Trevor to raise his other eyebrow. "Get this packed up, we're leaving. "

Mickelson and Day stepped aside as Flash and Aquaman began packing up the Phantom Zone Projector. "Where too?" Vic asked as he made his way towards the Boom Tube transporter.

Trevor could hardly take it anymore. "Where ever you're going, you're not taking that with you!" he said, pointing to the projector. Flash and Aquaman, ignoring Trevor, continued packing up the device. Meanwhile, Batman had placed a finger to his ear before strolling off in another direction, leaving Trevor alone in the middle of the room.

"Wait, that device is United States Property," he said, desperately. "You can't just…"

"Steve," a soft voice behind him said. It was Diana's, and her blue eyes were wide, sorrowful, layered over with pleading. She stepped towards him, her arms reaching out in front of her. His heart skipped, a for a moment he nearly raised his own arms, wanting, aching, to take her in them.

But he held his arms still, the image of her and Superman sharing a kiss over the country side flashing suddenly in his mind.

She laid her hands on his shoulder, then gently pecked him on the cheek.

"Thank you," she whispered softly, and all his objections melted away.

The moment was perfect, and he wished it could last forever. It was painful yes, to know she had kissed him to say thanks for helping to save the man she was with now. But to be close to her again, to feel her lips against him again, was greater.

Batman voice broke the moment. "We have another problem."

Cyborg's eyes became blank, an indication he was receiving a flood of information. A moment later they went wide. "Whoa," he said. "That's putting it lightly."

The others asked what was going on, but Batman was glaring at the ragged woman. Suddenly, he dashed towards her, throwing his arm against her throat, just beneath her windpipe, and pinning her to the medical bed.

She winced, gasped, then threw her arms around his in a vain attempt to pull them off her, clenching her teeth tightly and trying not to gasp further.

"What, are you doing?!" he shouted.

The woman pressed her lips together, though Trevor could see she was trembling slightly.

"What're you talking about?" Aquaman asked.

"The Fortress," Cyborg said. "Something crazy's going on up there. Temperatures are rising, rising fast, and the Fortress seems to be the source. Its been building for a while, but they've just now risen high enough for us to detect the environmental effects."

Batman slammed his hand hard on the hospital bed. "What are you doing?!" he shouted again.

The woman flinched had flinched before Batman had slammed his hand. It was only a slight flinch, but enough of a betrayal to show she was surprised by this news. But still, she remained defiant.

"Wait, I thought only Superman could get in the Fortress," Flash said.

"Not exactly," Diana said. "He'l got in too…"

"But only because He'l was Kryptonian," Cyborg finished.

"Do you have any idea what you're doing?!" Batman growled. "What you've done?!" Her eyes fluttered, another sign Trevor recognized as confusion. "I'll tell you! The temperature in the Fortress' spires are rising at a rate that will melt the polar ice caps. This will cause massive flooding all over the world as sea levels rise. This will cause catastrophic damage to homes, farms, economic resources, power, and lives. Millions will die! Millions!"

The woman's defiant look melted away into a horrified look. Trevor looked on intently. He assessed her as quickly as he could, and concluded she was someone who liked to be in control. As the apparent leader of three who had come from the portal, she had probably planned everything, meticulously, down to the tinniest detail; and now it seemed something had happened she hadn't planned, and it wasn't sitting well with her.

"I don't…It wasn't part of…no, he wouldn't…" she stuttered.

"Who!?" Batman roared. Her guard had been dropped, and she flinched at the sound of his voice.

"Lionel…Lionel Luthor."

Trevor could have heard a pin drop. The other's exchanged silent, brooding looks. The name Luthor was like a lightening rod, causing a mix of emotions to whoever heard it. However, it couldn't be possible that this Luther, Lionel Luther, was connected to Lex, who was being held in one of the worlds most secure prison's.

"We need to go," Batman said. "NOW!"

Aquaman and Flash joined Batman by the Boom Tube. Diana followed, but kept her face on the woman's for as long as possible, a look of rage spread across it.

"Vic, get Trevor back to Washington as soon as we're gone, then run point up here," Batman said.

"Uh, what about us?" Mickelson asked.

"You're coming with us," Batman growled.

Before Trevor could say anything, Mickelson and Day were grabbed by Flash and Aquaman and hurried towards Batman who had Diana at his side. There was a rumble, followed by a flash, and an instant later, they were gone.

**The Fortress of Solitude**

Splotches of red slowly oozed over the three dimensional layout of planet Earth. They were heaviest in the Northern Hemispheres, but were now bleeding into the equator regions, and would continue to trickle into the southern continents of South America, Africa, and Australia.

Lionel smiled.

His plan was playing out just as he'd hoped. He checked his time piece - an old fashion relic passed down through his family - and concluded it would only be another hour or so before panic would truly begin to ensue. By then, his ancestor Lex should be executing his portion of the plan, and the future would effectively be rewritten. Rewritten by Lionel's hand.

Leaving the viewing area, Lionel strolled across the Fortress of Solitude's anti-chamber to the bottle resting on the pedestal by the Kryptonian "throne". Lionel only had a chance to take a brief glance at it before when he'd first arrived with Lex and poor Caelus. Now, with nothing to do but sit and wait, he wanted to take a closer look at the object which had caused so much trouble, and provided so much opportunity.

Peering through the glass, his eyes became lost in the towering spires that would have made Earth's largest sky scrapers seem like weeds in a cornfield. The city had been shrunken down on an astronomical scale, which made the people inside smaller than grains of sand.

It was truly a surreal experience.

In this very bottle were people whose names were infamous in the future, yet were unknown now. But here they were, trapped in a moment of time, as vulnerable as they would ever be, yet unreachable as well.

Lionel smirked, and rapped on the glass with his knuckle, wondering if Kryptonians could dream in a hibernating state. There were certain people in that city right now who would be responsible for the genocide of entire countries. Lionel knew their names, knew what they looked like, and knew that in this bottle, without exposure to Earth's yellow sun, they would be as vulnerable as any other human.

The glass made a hollow noise and reverberated slightly, but otherwise did nothing. Brainiac was good, very good, at protecting the pieces of his collection.

Lionel sighed and rolled his eyes. _If only he'd been as good at protecting himself as well_.

Looking down, Lionel imagined grinding the entire city into dust with his bare hands. He could wipe each and every one of them out, the good and the bad, leaving it to God, Rao, or whoever to sort out the guilty from the innocent.

But no, the bottle was safe, from Lionel at least. In all his research, he could never find the process Superman used to restore Kandor. Not that Lionel cared that much - he cared more about how to destroy it - but he'd found himself just intellectually curious on more then one occasion. Sherina was the one who'd obsessed over it, determined to understand every aspect about the era and people they were traveling back in time too. But she hadn't found it either, leading Lionel to conclude this was just another of many secrets that would be lost to history in the next coming years.

But he'd found out enough; enough to accomplish what they'd set out to do, and so much more.

Turning away from the bottle, Lionel took a long, sweeping look at the Fortress' Anti-chamber. He took a moment to let all he'd been through, all he'd worked for, all he'd accomplished, sink in. It was truly a lot and worthy in his mind of mention in every history book to ever be written. Unfortunately, no one would probably ever know how he saved humanity, not even himself, ironically, once the timelines had changed. But still, in all of time and space, he couldn't think of a better place to be at this moment than here, in the place where it all began, in the home of his families eternal enemy, as the final stages of his plan were about to begin.

He'd began putting the pieces of his plan together years ago, when the war took what was probably it's final turn against the humans.

Like all young boys in his time, he'd become a member of the human resistance as soon as he could hold a rifle and shoot straight. And being a member of the family Luthor, he'd been placed near the front lines, expected to contribute with both his physical skills and his intellect. There wasn't anything else to pursue, anything left to strive for. Humanity had held out long against the Kryptonians; after all at its peak, the human population had been almost six billion, and the Kryptonians from Kandor only numbered in the hundred thousands. But it seemed now their time was running out, and those still living were only living on borrowed time.

At first, Lionel didn't give much thought to the future, determined only to do his duty to the best of his ability. However, History was a hobby of his, and if there was one thing he'd learn from human history, it was that humanity always won. Humanity never contented itself to just roll over, surrender, and die. No, humanity was a vibrant spirit, which could combine the best of what its soldiers, artists, scientist, laborer's, and leaders offered, to defeat any enemy which tried to subdue them. And through his faith in humanity , Lionel not only believed humanity would survive this war, but they would become stronger because of it.

He held these beliefs close, trusting and drawing upon them for inspiration during the darkest and toughest days. No matter how dark or bleak the war looked, he believed steadfastly that humanity would find a way. He trained hard, studied tactics and warfare long into the night, and practiced his skills with a passion matched by few. At night he would stare upwards towards the sky, picturing the day the war would finally end, and he would be there, on the final battle field, raising humanities flag proudly for all to see.

The darkest night would be washed away by the birth of a new day, and humanity would reach for the stars once more.

Strolling towards the statues of Lara and Jor'el, Superman's parents, Lionel narrowed his eyes as he looked upon their faces etched in stone or crystal or whatever material it was. They looked proud, they looked noble, they looked wise and studious; it made Lionel's stomach churn.

There had been few of his fellow soldiers who believed what he believed, hoped for what he hoped. Most believed humanity was nearing its end, and were only continuing on so as to die fighting, rather then live by surrender.

Lionel's optimism was ignored at first, then hostilely rejected. He went from being considered a foolish youth, to an outsider, to being hated. They didn't want to hear about humanities potential; they didn't want to hear about the glory days of the past; they didn't want to know what was or what could have been. They only wanted to fight and kill as many Kryptonians as they could before their impending extermination.

There was one, however, who had listened. Her name was Katherine, and like Lionel, she was a descendant of a famous family; the Wayne's. To Lionel, Katherine was a bright glimmer shinning against a sea of doubt and despair.

Standing beneath Jor'El's statue, Lionel clenched his fist and felt his throat grow thick. This man was long dead, his body incinerated with the rest of his accursed planet. Jor-el must have thought it noble and selfless to save his infant son; but they don't say the road to hell is paved with good intentions without reason.

Katherine carried her family name and legacy just as Lionel did, each hearing of their families history through dinner and bedtime stories. It was through Katherine Lionel met Sherina, her older sister and a commanding officer within the resistance. But unlike Sherina, Katherine was bright, cheerful, and eager to believe the best of humanity, just as Lionel did.

Katherine's spirit and courage he admired, but it was her dreams he grew to love.

She'd grown up sheltered by the resistance, her only childhood friends being children of other resistance leaders, one of whom was Caelus. Like Lionel and Katherine, Caelus was another descendant of a famous family; one Lionel's family had always spoken of with disdain.

And while Lionel and Katherine shared the same hope, vision, and dream of humanity, Katherine's heart belonged to Caelus.

It had pained Lionel to see her love him, especially when he seemed too focused and duty-bound to love her back. However, Lionel never allowed himself to give in to anger or jealousy, instead redoubling his efforts and contribution to the war efforts in hope that one day, the war would come to an end, his hopes would be fulfilled, their dreams would become reality, and Katherine would see him as the leader he was meant to be, and love him for it.

That day never came.

It seemed so long ago now, yet it had been less than two years ago. The Kryptonians had finally turned their sights to the last remnants of North America. The Resistance put up their toughest defense, and Lionel, Sherina, Caelus, and Katherine had all been in the thick of the fight.

It was during the battle of Washington, the capital of Humanities resistance. Sherina had taken her command to defend the capital, and protect the last President.

The battle lasted longer than any had expected, but they still lost. The President was captured, Washington fell, the Resistance was now without a leg to stand on, and Katherine had been killed.

Grief tore through all three, but Lionel most of all. With her gone, killed by the lifelong enemy of his family, the seeds of hatred planted long ago by his family blossomed in violent and fiery rage. His faith was crushed, his dreams shattered, and his hopes extinguished. The world suddenly changed around him, his emotions shut off, and all he wanted was to kill as many Kryptonians as he could before they finally killed him.

Staring at Jor-el now, the now familiar feelings of anger and hatred rose within Lionel. They were once so vibrant, so strong, they nearly pushed him into a feral rage. But now, he'd grown so used to them, he barely even noticed the tensing of his shoulders, the stiffness of his arms, and the tightness of his throat.

How long he stayed emotionally void, Lionel didn't know. But one day, a moment of clarity broke through the thick fog that his mind had succumb too. Sense had suddenly returned, and with an idea.

The war was lost, he'd come to believe that now. There was, however, a way to win.

In the past.

They could prevent the war from ever occurring, prevent billions from dying, prevent Katherine from dying. It could be done, he believed it as strongly as he once believed in humanity. His former passion, History, would provide the answer, and he took to searching and researching the past with even more vigor than he'd had before. Gathering as much historical data as he could, Lionel traced the histories of the commanding families, traced the history of the Kryptonians, traced the history of the war, until he found the brink. Ironically, it all extended back to the so called "Age of Heroes."

The knowledge both inspired and infuriated him. He knew his own family history, the Luthor's, and knew how his ancestor Lex had constantly warned humanity about the dangers of trusting so called Meta-humans, especially Earth's first Kryptonian, Superman. If humanity had listened to Lex, and rejected Superman, then Kandor would have never been restored.

It was that simple.

Lionel shared all he discovered with Sherina, whose hatred for the Kryptonians ran even deeper than his own. But Sherina didn't care about History if it didn't help her in the present. Lionel also knew the idea of Time Travel would seem too radical and insane, perhaps rightly so, for Sherina to consider.

So he introduced the idea to Sherina gradually, planting little seeds of his master plan here and there, giving Sherina the illusion of command, which would be the only way she'd ever agree to it.

Once the idea was planted, Sherina began studying History with a fervor of her own. On her own at first, then together, Lionel and Sherina shared their findings, theories, and conclusions. In time, and with subtle manipulation by Lionel, Sherina proposed traveling back in time, as Lionel had intended all along.

Her plan was to travel back in time to this particular era of history; several years before Kandor was restored, and at a time when public opinion against meta-humans was turning to the negative. There was the perfect window for them to act, as their studies showed that the ebbs and flows of human opinion swayed as often as reeds in the wind, and public opinion towards meta-humans would turn favorably in the near future after a global catastrophe.

Lionel remembered listening as Sherina devised a plan, a plan ensuring that not only would Kandor never be restored, but that the greatest and most destructive weapons of humanity would never be created. She had deconstructed history into a game of chess, and was simply removing the oppositions key pieces to ensure they would be defeated.

Sherina's plan included everything Lionel had hoped for, and more. To his surprise, she proposed killing Superman, a feat Lionel had not considered, but only because he hadn't thought it possible. But Sherina knew it was, and even better, she had all she needed to ensure it happened.

She was also the one who recruited Caelus. Caelus was a child of both worlds, Kryptonian and Human, but had chosen to fight for humanity, as his ancestors had always done. Never one to mince words, Sherina drew a hard line with hard language, and pushed Caelus into helping them. Caelus agreed, both out of guilt and hope; guilt for what his Kryptonian kin had done, and hope that Katherine would never have to die.

Sherina's plan was both solid and thorough, and if they succeeded, would indeed change history. But that wasn't enough for Lionel.

The anger of his family legacy burning brighter than ever within him now, Lionel felt humanity owed him, owed his family. So he devised a plan of his own, a plan within the plan, that would coincide with Sherina's, but supercede his outcome over hers.

History is viewed with crystal clear vision, and Lionel believed if humanity had only listened to his ancestor, Lex Luthor, this war would never occur. That was it! But humanity hadn't, choosing instead to listen to a man who presented himself as their savior, and branded his ancestor a criminal. Even now, in the distant future, humanity still hadn't given the Luthor family the respect they deserved; they'd never admitted they were wrong for not listening, they'd never admitted to following the wrong savior.

Lionel would change that. He would erase history and rewrite it, with his own pen in his own handwriting, and this time, humanity would listen to Lex, and the Luthor family would gain their rightful place in history.

The first step was actually Sherina's idea; destroy the government organization known as A.R.G.U.S. and all their research they had done on Meta-humans, including their weapons being designed to fight them.

After destroy A.R.G.U.S, Lionel was suppose to meet Caelus and the Fortress of Solitude and retrieve Kandor and hide it. But Lionel began to follow his own plan then.

Instead of heading directly to the Fortress, he'd broken Lex out of the prison they'd unjustly cast him in. Then he met Caelus at Superman's arctic fortress. But instead of retrieving the bottle, Lionel activated the Fortress' Terraforming engines so as to create a world wide catastrophe.

He would prove just how powerful and threatening their Kryptonian savior, Superman, really was. He would prove to them just how dangerous these aliens, who had already destroyed their own planet, really were. He'd put this danger on display for all humanity to see, and force them to decide.

Lionel calculated that once it was realized the threat was coming from Superman's Fortress, the leaders of Earth would treat this threat with the biggest weapons they had; atomics. It didn't matter if they launched one or a thousand, the fortress would be destroyed, and if Kandor wasn't with it, then it would be destroyed along with it, buried under miles of ice and snow, lost and forgotten for all time.

Lex would be the one to stop it, however, if it proved feasible. Lionel had sent Lex back to America to remind everyone that he had always been warning humanity about the dangers of Superman. Now, he would have a visible threat to back up his claims. If the opportunity presented itself, Lex could shut down the Terraforming engines with the remote Lionel had programmed for him. There was still much to gain from Kryptonian technology, but Lionel wanted to make sure Lex and his descendants were the ones handling it. If Lex wasn't successful in convincing the world's leaders to entrust him, then he was to let the Terraforming engines continue on, and watch as the nukes destroyed it.

Either way, the war would be prevented. And either way, Humanity would learn to listen to the Luthor family. Lionel was well aware he could die here if Lex couldn't stop the missiles from being launched, but he didn't care. He was at peace with his fate knowing that upon success, he would be born in the future as a prominent member of a world leading family, into a world of prosperity and peace, with Katherine alive and at his side, finally seeing him as the leader he was born to be.

She would be alive. Alive, and never having to grow up in a world of pain of suffering, never having to live in fear, never having to die. They would be together, as it was meant to be, and she would love him, as he'd always loved her. Millions of people may have to die, but billions would be saved, and so would she. It seemed like a fair price for tomorrow.

Lionel stood before the viewing port and watched as the red spots continued to fill the diagram of planet Earth. Without thinking, his hand had slipped into his pocket, and clenched a small object resting inside. It was a ring, attached to a chain. The ring was another heir loom passed down by his family. It had once belonged to Lex's mother actually, given to her by Lex's father, the day he proposed to her.

It had come into Lionel's possession after his mother was killed, and he'd kept it for a long time. Long ago he had wished to give it Katherine one day, on the day he worked up the courage to ask her to marry him.

He clutched the ring and closed his eyes, picturing her face smiling brightly as it always did. He imagined her voice, speaking of hopes and dreams, but softly so as not to wake their fellow soldiers. He could feel her hand squeeze his arm gently as he professed his hope and belief that humanity would survive this war, and they would build themselves up even stronger than before.

But then the alarms began to sound, and Lionel slowly opened his eyes and released the ring. The diagram of Earth melted away in the viewing area, replaced by a diagram of the Fortress. Indicator's lights began flashing in the vicinity of the front entrance, and Kryptonian text appeared beneath it.

Lionel had only a basic understanding of the language, but it didn't matter. He was looking for only one combination of symbols, symbols which would mean a Kryptonian had been detected by the Fortress' bio-scanners. The symbols he was looking for never appeared, meaning there wasn't a Kryptonian with whoever was outside.

Lionel smiled, and congratulated Sherina in his head. No Kryptonians outside mostly likely meant Sherina had succeeded, and Superman was either dead or trapped in the Phantom Zone.

**The Arctic**

Barry stepped onto the frozen tundra of the Arctic, and was surprised too hear a soft splashing sound beneath him. The Boom Tube snapped closed behind him, and Barry immediately could tell something was wrong. It was warm, too warm, especially for the arctic, the wind didn't bite at you like normal. A humming sounded through the air, soft and faint, but easily noticeable in the otherwise deathly quiet environment. But what stood out the most was a mass of dark storm clouds ahead, gathering above their destination.

"It's only been a few of hours," Arthur said. He was kneeling and inspecting the ice and snow. "If we don't reverse this soon, we may not be able to stop it."

"We couldn't boom directly inside?" Barry asked.

"Too much interference from that," Bruce said, pointing ahead a mass of dark storm clouds.

Diana stepped beside him. "We should find the nearest settlements and villages and be prepared to evacuate them," she said.

"Good call," Barry said, watching her lift off and whisk away in the opposite direction.

Meanwhile, Barry drew upon the Speed Force and expanded his vibrational field. He began searching for anything out of the ordinary, and didn't find much. The molecules of an environment this cold didn't vibrate very strongly, making everything seem faint, and dull.

However, far below, he could sense small pockets of ice whose molecules were moving faster than the others, which meant they were growing warmer. Above the surface, he could sense warm pockets of air swirling with colder ones, causing the winds to circle. Barry clenched his jaw. Arthur was right; the melting of the ice caps had progressed quickly, and if they didn't stop it soon, they wouldn't be able to stop it at all.

Behind him, Dr. Day shivered, while Dr. Mickelson was clutching his arms around himself tightly.

"So what… are we …going to do …here?" Day asked, shivering.

Without answering, Bruce gestured them to follow.

"We're going, there?" asked a wide eyed Mickelson.

Bruce didn't answer, and Barry noticed the scientist were both looking towards the dark clouds ahead fearfully.

Bruce pressed a finger to his ear. "Vic, you there."

"Yeah man," they all heard through the com.

Bruce began walking, and the others soon followed. Arthur strolled ahead with Bruce, but Barry hung back a bit. "You guys going to make it? We really need you here?" he asked the two scientist.

The two exchanged a look, then nodded encouragingly to each other, then to Barry. "We'll do our best, sir," Mickelson said.

Day nodded. "Yyyes, yes," he stammered, then added with a forced smile, "You don't save the world by staying in your office."

"You have to walk right into danger sometimes," Mickelson chimed in.

Barry smiled and nodded. They journeyed on, slowly. The ice, though melting, was still slick and precarious, especially for Mickelson and Day, and the thick snow made a brisk pace nearly impossible for everyone; it made Barry very edgy.

"I'm uploading the grid now," Bruce said in the com as they neared the thresholds between the open sky and dark gathering of clouds. He pressed a button on his utility belt.

The wind was howling fiercely now, and the air had grown warm enough where they could even feel humidity. Above, the clouds were turning darker, and they could see lightening far off where Barry knew Superman's Fortress of Solitude was.

. "I got it," Vic said in their ears. "Several life forms are in the sublevels…"

"The menagerie," Bruce said plainly.

"…and one in the upper level. The anti-chamber, actually."

Arthur frowned. "Where did you get a digital map of the Fortress?" he asked.

"From sensors I placed the last time Superman brought us here," Bruce replied.

Barry saw Arthur's eyes narrow. "Does Superman know you placed these - sensors?"

"He'll get over it," Bruce said, plainly.

Barry stepped between them, casually. "Sooo, how do we get in?" he asked, quickly.

"Vic…" Bruce began.

But before he could finish, the ground shook violently. It came suddenly and unexpectedly, catching each of them off guard, and causing Mickelson and Day to stumble.

Barry's sensory field erupted to life, and he sensed the normally frozen and subdued molecules get a boost of speed. They began vibrating quicker, causing them to create more friction, which Barry realized would subsequently cause the temperatures to continue to rise.

Barry shook himself, shrinking his sensory field a bit. "Aquaman's right. We won't have much time if a few more of those occur."

Bruce's jaw became tight beneath his cowl. "Vic?" he said, again.

"We'll just have to get in range…wait, below you guys, under the ice," Vic said. "Something's just …well, it looks like something just tore a hole into the water below."

"What is it?" Bruce asked.

"Don't know, I lost them on radar once they passed out of the Fortress."

Barry quickly expanded his field again, drawing searched through the vibrations, extending his field down into the ice, and into the water far below. There, he felt a series of vibrations. They were faint, but vibrant enough against the extreme cold temperatures of the water below.

"I got him," Barry said.

"Are you sure it's a _him_?" Diana said, landing softly next to him.

"Sorry; person, animal, thing," Barry muttered.

Diana nodded satisfied. "There's a few scattered villages," she reported. "The nearest is about five miles away, which gives us time, but not much at the rate this storm is growing."

Bruce nodded, then turned to Arthur. "Can you retrieve whoever's down there?"

"I'm on it," Arthur replied, placing his Trident behind his back, then turning to Barry. "Mind opening a door for me?"

Barry nodded before dashing to a spot of ice past the threshold of the storm, then stood on his toes as tall as he could. He began to spin. Drawing in the Speed Force, Barry became a blur of red to the others as he spun like a top. Lightening erupted from him in all directions, and the friction he created caused the ice to melt, creating a chasm which he slowly sank into. A few moments later, he broke through the icy surface to water below, then quickly reversed his direction and rising back to the surface.

Once clear, Arthur dove into the chasm. The rest came to the edge of the chasm and waited. Barry followed Arthur as he swam as fast as a missile beneath the surface towards the faint vibrations that had emerged from beneath the Fortress. A moment later, the two became one. "He's got it!" Barry said.

Bruce nodded, then reached into his utility belt and withdrew a batarang. He pressed a switch, and it began flashing, a bright blinding flash normally used to stun and confuse Bruce's opponents. He casually dropped it into the chasm.

Barry felt Arthur's vibration change course and head straight for them. A moment later, there was a great splash and Arthur's emerged from the water, a limp figure draped over his shoulder.

Arthur landed, and carefully laid the body on the ice.

Barry's eyes went wide. "Caelus!" he said, zipping to his side.

Caelus looked cold, pale, and was shivering violently.

"Hey, hey," Mickelson said, giddily. "He's one of them! From the portal."

A flash of lightening ripped overhead, followed by a booming crack of thunder. Caelus began to spasm uncontrollably then, thrashing his arms wildly.

"Caelus!" Barry shouted. He tried to pin Caelus down by his shoulders, but was tossed away like a rag doll.

"Aquaman, secure him," Barry heard Bruce say, coldly.

"No, wait," Barry said, throwing himself on Caelus again, who was gasping and gnashing his teeth now.

Arthur stepped in, as did Diana. "Batman's right," she said. "We should get him back to the tower…"

"No," Arthur said. "We need him to tell us what he's done and how to undo it, now."

Caelus nearly threw them all off then, his strength surprising them all. But in the moment Caelus was nearly free, something caught Barry's eye. A small object, sickly green, and protruding from Caelus' back.

"Wonder Woman's right, he's too dangerous," Batman said, drawing a syringe and needle from his utility belt. "We need to get him secured."

Arthur scowled angrily. "He might be the only who knows what's happening here if…,"

"Don't you say it," Wonder Woman snapped. "Don't even think it."

Caelus began thrashing again, waving his arms wildly and gasping through clenched teeth in a storm of delirium. Above, the clouds erupted again, and the wind howled louder.

"Look at him, he's dangerous," Bruce repeated.

Barry saw the object again. Caelus was too strong, even for the three of them, to pin him down. But Barry suspected whatever was protruding from his back was causing Caelus to act this way. So he watched carefully, timing his movements, readying himself for a quick strike.

"And he's a killer," Bruce said venomously.

"No, he's, not!" Barry said sternly. Then his moment came. With a move as quick as a snake strike, Barry reached out when Caelus' back was lifted, and grasped the object.

Caelus wretched painfully and screamed before he gasped and fell limp on the ice.

Barry turned back to Bruce, anger seething through him. "I know what a killer looks like, Batman," he said. "And he's not! He had a chance, he's had several chances, and each time he's hesitated. Plus, how did he get here, and how did this…" he held up the object for Batman too see, but stopped once he got a good look at it himself.

It was a knife. A knife made of a glowing green stone, and without a hilt. The blade glowed dully, and Barry immediately knew what it was. Behind him, Caelus began moaning softly, then began coughing and gasping for air.

Behind them, Day's eyes went wide. "Hey is that…"

"Kryptonite!" Mickelson finished. "There was a whole file on the stuff…"

"Shut up!" Bruce said, snatching the knife away from Barry. He sighed, then placed the knife in a pouch on his utility belt. "He should start feeling better now."

Almost immediately, Caelus' eyes snapped open and his breathing began to slow to a normal pace. Color began to seep into is face, as did clarity in his eyes. A moment later he sat up, but looked alarm when he noticed his company.

Barry quickly knelt beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Caelus, its me, Flash," he said.

"Flash?" Caelus said. He looked clearly confused, and apprehensive.

"You were stabbed," Barry said, his police training kicking into gear. "Do you remember what happened?"

Caelus nodded. "Lionel," he said, lowly.

"Why?"

"I don't…I don't know," Caelus said, shaking his head. Barry offered a hand, and Bruce offering another.

"That much Kryptonite should have killed you," Bruce said, helping him up. "So I'm guessing part of you is human too."

Caelus met Bruce's eyes, and they exchanged a long stare.

"You're Kryptonian?" Arthur asked.

"Half," Caelus replied. "I have some of their powers. Some of their weaknesses. I'm not as vulnerable to Kryptonite, but it still weakens me."

Diana placed herself in front of him, glaring angrily. "We've captured your friend, Sherina," she said, coldly. "And she's told us all about you. Where your from, and why you came back in time. She also managed to trap Superman in the Phantom Zone."

Caelus' shoulders slouched, and he blinked several times while looking away. A moment later he turned back, and nodded slowly.

"That was part of the plan, yes," he said. "One I truly hoped she wouldn't succeed with."

"Well she did," Arthur said. "But she never said anything about you melting the polar ice caps," Arthur said, then added, "In fact she…seemed surprised by it."

Caelus' eyes widened in horror. "That _was _never part of our plan…" His voice trailed off and he turned back to the Fortress as another rumbling of vibrations erupted around them. "That's why…"

"Why what?" Bruce asked.

"…He stabbed me," Caelus said. "He stabbed me, then tossed me into the Menagerie. He knows Kryptonite poisons me slowly, which is what I'm guessing he wanted."

"But why did you come here in the first place?" Arthur asked, coldly.

Caelus blinked, then sighed. "We came here for the bottle, Kandor's bottle…"

"To destroy it?" Bruce asked.

"No!" Caelus snapped. "Never! I would never agree to kill them! They're as much my people as humans are, and I don't want to see either of them killed, especially by each other! It's the reason I signed up for this mission, to make sure Kandor _wasn't _destroyed."

"Then what were you planning to do with it?" Barry asked.

"Hide it," Caelus replied. "The people in the bottle are alive, but in a suspended state of animation, and can remain that way indefinitely. I wanted to hide it away from Superman for a day when it could be restored safely, for both humans and Kryptonians."

"But Lionel had other plans," Bruce said, dryly.

Caelus clenched his teeth. "Sherina would never allowed this. He must be acting on his own." A pained expression crossed Caelus' face and he swallowed. "I… maybe I should have known." He clenched his teeth and shook his head. "Yes, I should have, the moment I saw him."

"Who?" Diana asked.

"A man Lionel brought. He looked familiar at first, but I couldn't place him. Lionel said he was just a civilian he didn't want to see killed, so took him prisoner instead. But now... Damn it! It was Lex Luthor; Lionel's ancestor."

Bruce quickly turned away and pressed a finger to his ear. "Vic, quickly, hack into the desert prison …." he said, his voice trailing away.

Arthur stepped forward, gripping his trident tightly. "Ok, so you never had any intention of killing millions of people?"

"No," Caelus said firmly. "We had a good plan, which if successful, would _prevent _billions from dying; Human and Kryptonian alike. A few were suppose to die, yes, but I… I even tried to save those," he added, sounding defeated.

Behind him, Barry nodded. He thought of Central City; how Caelus had stood before Mayor Trambeline, the one on the human side of the equation responsible for escalating the tensions between the humans and the Kandorian's. This was the man who gave the order to create weapons to be used against the Kandorian's, and the man who gave the command to turn the sun from yellow to red. Caelus had a loaded gun pointed at his head, and no one to stand in his way; not even Barry.

But he'd hesitated.

"Well millions of people _are _going to die," Arthur said sternly. "And its because of your partner."

"Yes," Barry added. "By turning on the Fortress' Terraforming engines, the air that's warming down here is rising and condensing and cooling rapidly which will, for starters, create a powerful Monsoon," he said, pointing to the brewing storm clouds above the Fortress. "As long as the air in the lower atmosphere is continually being warmed, its going to continue building and create one hell of a storm that'll rip across the entire globe, cause the polar ice caps to melt, and throw every eco-system in the world off balance and into chaos. Flash Fact!"

Caelus listened intently, repeatedly nodding with a grave and guilt laden look on his face. When Barry was finished, another crack of thunder sounded loudly over head, and it began to rain.

"Let me help you," he said, clenching his fists suddenly. "This is our fault, my fault; and no one should have die today so others can live tomorrow."

"And how are you proposing to help?" Arthur asked.

"I can get you in the Fortress," he said. "It's simple, but only someone with my, attributes, can open the doors."

"And how are we suppose to know we can trust you?" Bruce said, having rejoined them silently a few moments before.

Bruce, Diana, Arthur, and Dr.'s Mickelson and Day all stared at Caelus intently. Barry stood beside him, seeing their apprehensive and penetrative gazes, sensing their distrust. He couldn't blame them, a lot was at stake. Sherina was the one who trapped Superman in the Phantom Zone. And now Lionel was on the verge of causing millions to be killed.

Common sense would say they shouldn't trust him; but Barry had learned long ago to listen to his gut, especially when it came to people.

He moved closer to Caelus, and put a hand on his shoulder. "We can trust him," he said. "I'd bet my life on it."

**The Phantom Zone**

I can count on my hands the number of times I've felt pain. True pain. This… really isn't one of those times.

It begins with my eyes. Color, texture, and even light diminish, leaving the world in a mixture of night and day. My arms and legs become lighter, hollow, making me feel weightless. My lungs drain of air, leaving them feeling empty, since theirs no need to breath. I can't feel anything; hot air or cold, texture, moisture, I can't even feel my hair when I run my fingers through it.

The last step is my heart, which comes to a stop. Not a stop, but more like a pause, holding itself still in suspended animation, neither living or dead.

With the cycle complete, I'm no longer a man, either human or Kryptonian, but a phantom. A phantom of the Phantom Zone.

Behind me, the remnants of the portal which trapped me here fade, slamming shut the temporary door between the three dimensional universe, and this one. For one last second, I can hear all the sounds echoing from Earth into space with my super hearing, before the portal snaps shut, and there is nothing.

A moment later, the nothing turns to the sounds of agony, despair, and hopelessness.

"Help!"

"I've served my time!"

"I will find you Kara!"

"Kneel before Zod!"

I don't know much about this realm. I know my father discovered it not long before Krypton's destruction. It was used as a Temporal Prison for Krypton's most dangerous criminals; a place where they would be separated from the society they had wronged, and the reality they'd lived in.

"Please, release me!"

"I was innocent!"

They're cries sound as though they are coming both near and far. Space is relative here, as is time. It's a realm that mirrors our own, a shadow realm, where you don't age, or feel pain, but you don't feel anything else either.

I've flown into space many times, often to be alone, but still listen for trouble on Earth. Even though my eyes can no longer see color or depth, Earth somehow looks the same. I can see it spinning slowly on its axis, and see where the divide between the light and the dark caused by the sun. It looks the same to me, peaceful and beautiful… and I don't want to be anywhere near it.

The grayness of space extends to an infinite distance, a distance I can't fly fast enough in too. I can fly for as long and as far as I want, without ever having to stop and eat, sleep, or rest. Never having to stop and hear their cries again.

I can fly as far away as I want, and no one will die because of me.

Space feels cold, but the Phantom Zone feels empty.

I flew into the vast darkness, never looking left or right, trying to outrun the cries of pain and agony, outrun the guilt. I passed by numerous worlds, suns, stars, and entire galaxies before I noticed he was beside me.

He hadn't made a rift or sound, just flew beside me, watching me carefully; a friend I hadn't seen in years, a friend I confess, heavily, I'd nearly forgotten of.

"Pretty far from Earth aren't you?" he asked, finally deciding to get my attention.

I blinked away my surprise, and came to a halt, staring wide eyed at the friend I'd hadn't seen since my childhood. He looked the same as he did when I last saw him, all those years ago.

"Lar?"

He smiled, the same hapless smile of the boy explorer who came to Earth so long ago.

"It's good to see you Cal," he said.

"It's.. it's good to see you too," I replied, though another twinge of guilt ripped through me. "How … how is…"

"The same," he said with a shrug. "But its alright, I can stay here as long as I need too, no rush."

I sighed heavily, out of habit, forgetting there isn't any air to breathe here. "I'm sorry," I said. "I haven't been able to find a cure. Truth is, I haven't had much of a chance to look into it."

"Cal, its ok," he said, smiling. "You've been busy, I know, I've been watching. You've done a lot of good for Earth, good for people who need you, and I don't expect you to take time away from that. It'd be pretty selfish of me, right?"

He hasn't changed a bit, on the outside or in. His name is Lar Grand - or Lar-El as he'll be known in the future. We met when I was just a kid and my powers were first manifesting. It was a… difficult time, to say the least, and as incredible as my abilities were, they made me feel dangerous, which led to me feeling isolated, which led me to feeling alone. It's not easy to make friends when you're holding a secret you're not even sure how to explain, or you're scared you might break someone's arm just by bumping into them.

It was during that time they introduced themselves.

The Legion of Superheroes. A team of people, much like the Justice League, from the 31st century. Saturn Girl, Lightening Lad, Phantom Girl, Brainiac 5, and Lar-EL, who I came to know as Lar Grand. They had come back in time, and I met some of the greatest friends I've ever had.

Lar was one of them, and he and I had something special in comLar. He's from the planet Daxam, which was located in the same solar system as Krypton. His cells absorb the radiation of Earth's yellow sun just like mine, and as such, we have similar abilities.

However, we have our differences as well, one of which is the reason he's here. Kryptonite is deadly to me, and likewise, Lead is deadly to Lar. However, unlike my vulnerability to Kryptonite, once exposed, there isn't a known way to reverse the effect lead has on a Daxamite.

I accidently exposed him to lead one day, and he nearly died because of it. To save his life the Legion put Lar into the Phantom Zone where he could stay indefinitely until a cure was found.

Saddley, I haven't found a cure. But what's even worse is that I haven't spent much time looking.

"Lar, I haven't been a good friend," I said. "Please…"

"Cal, I told you, don't worry about it. I know you've been busy," he said. "Though I'm not sure why you're flying all the way out here. Earth's back that way," he said cheerfully while pointing over his shoulder.

I look past him, and I can't see Earth at all. Its just one of the infinite number of dull splotches against the grayness of space that I know are suppose to be gleaming stars. I didn't realize how far I'd flown.

Lar's smile fades. "So you're going to go back, right? I mean, you're friends are probably busy trying to find a way to get you out of here. You should probably be ready."

I stare on, unable to speak. I only have questions; questions with any definitive answer.

"I…I don't think I can go back Lar," I said, finally admitting it out loud. Finally admitting I don't know what to do - what the right thing to do is.

I finally look to him, a boy still, whose older than he looks, and maybe wiser too. I'm not sure what I expected, I'm not used to asking for advice, at least on this level. Bruce is usually the one I go to for advice, but only on matters of tactics or strategies. This… this is new for me.

Lar only nodded, and took a deep, unnecessary, breath of his own.

"Kandor, right?" he asked. "I heard what she said to you. I heard all about her future."

"Is it true?" I asked, remembering he has some knowledge of the future.

But he shook his head ominously. "Cal, there aren't many historical records that survive the next few hundred years. At least not until the 25th century. And according to Brainiac 5, even the records they do have are very unreliable because of the Time Trapper. It's why they don't know if a cure is ever found my condition."

"But isn't there anything you can tell me?" I asked earnestly, desperately. "Anything about Kandor?"

He shook his head again, and my heart sank. He tried to smile sympathetically, but only one corner of his mouth turned up. "I'm not the best person to ask," he said. "Remember, I'm not from the 31st century, I just join the Legion by then… somehow."

"Right," I replied, flatly.

Several screams sounded around us then, and Lar suddenly looked worried.

"We better go," he said, turning himself towards Earth and drifting towards it. I stayed still, and he turned back. "Are you coming Cal?"

"Lar…"

"Look," he said, "Other's might be surprised, but I'm not. To me, you're Cal-El, Clark Kent, and I don't blame you. I was shocked myself when I heard, but you can't just run away." he said.

I scowled, slightly. "I'm not sure I know what you mean."

He flew back, and looked at me with cold, hard eyes. "Yes you do. You were running, weren't you. Running as far and as fast away from Earth as you could. Why else would you be out here?"

"I'm not a boy anymore Lar," I said, a bit coldly. "I don't run away from my problems."

"I wasn't saying that," he said, calmly. "But you are running, don't deny it. You're running because you think that's the best thing for Earth."

"Well isn't it?!" I shouted. It felt like a release, a release that shot out across the infinite grayness of space. Since almost the beginning, when I decided to wear the cape and symbol, people have questioned my intentions, and my effect.

"Billions of people die, Lar," I said. "Billions. Because I restore Kandor!"

"I know, I heard the story," he said.

"Then you know they won't, if I don't restore Kandor," I added.

His face softened thoughtfully, and he shrugged. "Maybe," he said simply. "Take yourself out of the equation, it can't be completed. But does that mean you should abandon Earth altogether? That seems pretty extreme."

I shook my head. "It's the only way to make sure it's never restored," I said, softer. "That's what Sherina believes, and maybe she's right. Maybe they're all right."

"Who?" Lar asked.

"The Lex Luthor's and Sam Lane's of the world," I replied. "Maybe I'm, all of us, are doing more harm than good."

Lar cocked an eyebrow. "You don't seriously believe that, do you?"

"I haven't wanted too," I said. "But ever since I first put on the cape and symbol, I've been met with suspicion, resentment, and even fear. I've always tried to do my best, help as many people as I can, as often as I can. But it never seems like enough, and too most people, it's not good enough. There's always a complaint, a criticism, a condemnation, and a plea for more, all at the same time. I've started to wonder if the world would rather I leave them alone; if it even wants to be saved."

"You don't think a man or woman falling off a bridge would want to be saved?" Lar asked.

"If only it were that simple Lar," I said, regretfully. "But its not. Earth is a big world, filled with people both big and small. Everyone has an opinion, everyone has a different perspective, and everyone has their own view of right and wrong. The suspicion, resentment, and fear have always been there, but it was easy to ignore at first.

"But its grown over time, with more and more people joining the yelling and shouting, and I can't help but listen," I said. "It's their world Lar, I'm only a refugee. If I'm truly doing more harm than good, then I shouldn't be there. I shouldn't interfere."

Lar nodded sympathetically, but his face was unmoved. He looked at me, then turned to Earth, staring and studying it silently, before turning back to me. "Come on," he said, motioning for me to follow him before he started to fly towards Earth.

I hesitated again, and this time he was firmer.

"I think you need to see some things," he said. "And we should hurry. I'm pretty sure your friend Batman isn't wasting any time."

He took off then, flying through space nearly as fast as I did. Surprised, I began to follow, and caught up to him a few moments later.

"Lar…?" I said, about to ask if where we were going.

"We're going to Earth," he said, as if he knew what I was going to ask.

"Lar," I repeated, this time disappointingly.

"Don't," he said, holding his hand up. "We won't be going to see anyone from the Justice League. We're going somewhere else, a few places actually."

"Where?" I asked again.

"You need to see some people," he said. "I think you need to see what you've done."

**The Fortress of Solitude**

The Fortress' doors swung open slowly revealing a dark and ominous chamber behind it. They stepped inside, and all hell broke loose.

"Make your way - ughh - to the anti-chamber!" Bruce shouted while dodging a long, violet, tentacle that lashed at him from the darkness.

Barry dashed to the side, up onto the walls, and overhead before landing on the shoulders of a large behemoth with several eyes, and hundreds of long, spindly, legs. "Gees, nice welcoming committee!"

"Where are the lights?!" Arthur shouted as he sprung off his trident and leapt onto another creature with rough skin, three maws, and seven horns protruding from its skull.

"I don't know!" Caelus shouted, crossing his arms in front of him to deflect a razor sharp claw. "They came on before when I just walked in."

"They're trying to escape!" Barry shouted as the creature he had landed on was trying to throw him off. "Keep them from the light."

The only light poured in from the open doors behind them. A few moments ago, to the amazement of them all, including Bruce, Caelus had opened the doors to the Fortress of Solitude using a plain looking, but solid gold, key. He explained it weighed over a ton, and only someone with a Kryptonian's strength could lift it.

Once the doors were open though, they were met by a herd of exotic alien animals, who began to attack them at once.

Arthur lifted his trident, aiming his points towards the back of the creatures skull, but stopped as a firm hand gripped it over head.

"Try not to hurt them," Diana said, not releasing Arthur's trident until he relaxed his arms. "Superman takes care of them," she added. "Because like him, they're worlds have been destroyed."

Barry tapped into the Speed Force and began running around the base of the creature he'd landed on. He twisted and turned his way through its legs, causing them to stumble over each other, and finally collapse. Then, he saw a creature bounding towards Caelus, who had hung back with a very panic stricken Dr's. Mickelson and Day.

Barry began dashing back and forth across the darkened hall, creating a barrier with Speed Force lightening which was erupting off him with each pass. The creatures flinched and stirred, leaping back defensively with each crack of lightening that sprung off him.

Caelus grabbed the two scientist, and leapt over Barry and the creatures. Landing safely behind them, Caelus immediately dashed down the hallway towards the lift, Mickelson and Day carried in his arms.

"This way!" Bruce shouted, who had somehow managed to slip past them into the dark hallway, stood beside an open hallway.

There were four creatures in all, and they were doing their best to avoid their attacks and keep them away from pursuing Mickelson and Day, and escaping into the open world.

Barry hung back, standing between the creatures and the open doors, while Arthur and Diana tried distracting them on the other side. Outside, the wind was howling fiercely, the sky was erupting in thunder and lightening, and the sky had turned as dark as a night without the moon. Yet the creatures seemed to know beyond the doors was freedom, a freedom Barry knew they could not be afforded, as they would tear anything in their path's apart.

He made quick dodges from afar, near their legs, letting his lightening spark against their legs, frightening them backwards. Each time they his lightening cracked near them, they began to thrash their limbs wildly and bellow loudly.

When enough distance of a gap between the open doors and the creatures had been created, Arthur and Diana joined Barry to herd the creatures towards the opening Bruce was standing near.

The creatures were funneled together, and drew themselves into a frenzy. They screamed, howled, and thrashed wildly, striking indiscriminately at whatever they could see, including each other. When they had reached the threshold of the opening, Bruce leapt in front of them, a batarang in hand.

He threw at their feet, and it exploded into a cloud of dark smoke. He quickly withdrew another batarang, and sent it high over head, where it stuck overhead, and blinked harmlessly.

The creatures, however, all cried out even louder, stumbling over themselves and their own legs, before they scrambled into the hallway as if a predator was on their heals.

"Aquaman, the door," Bruce said, pointing to a crystal control panel next to it.

Arthur lifted his trident and hurled it. It struck the panel a moment later, and a door quickly shut, trapping the creatures behind hit.

"Again, where did they come from?" Arthur asked, angrily while retrieving his trident.

"I told you," Diana said. "Their nearly extinct aliens from other worlds. Superman looks after them."

"But how did they get here?" Arthur asked.

"Lionel." Barry turned to see Caelus. He was walking towards them, Mickelson and Day close behind. The two doctors were trembling, but holding fast to the devices in their hands. "After he stabbed me he dropped me into the Menagerie level," Caelus continued. "I couldn't fight them, there are much to many."

"Lionel doesn't know how to activate the Fortress' defenses, does he?" Bruce asked.

Caelus shook his head. "He is familiar with the Kryptonian language, and the basic theory behind their technologies. I'm guessing he sent those creatures to greet us here, only to delay us at best."

"Then we better hurry," Barry said.

They dashed towards the lift that would take them to the Anti-chamber. When Caelus stepped onto the platform, the crystal's lit up.

"I'm guessing the Terraforming engines are consuming most of the power, but at least we have some here," Caelus said, before the platform began to descend after he pressed in a crystal.

"Should we assume that's all Lionel will throw at us?" Barry asked.

"Probably not," Caelus said. "He's been planning this operation for several years, meticulously and obsessively studying each of you. He knows your powers, fighting tactics and trends, and also…your weaknesses," he added, darkly.

"Our priority is the Phantom zone," Bruce said. "That means you two…" he pointed to Mickelson and Day, "…start working on it as soon as we clear the anti-chamber. The rest of you, be prepared for atmospheric changes. Air density and oxygen percentage, structural vibrations, even the force of gravity. Superman also has a collection of alien artifacts and weapons. Their technology is far advanced from our own, so be ready."

Barry noticed a cold look in Diana's eyes. He'd only seen that look a few times before, and it was right before Diana went into a battle she expected to fight her fiercest. "He's only human, no different than any other arrogant man we've faced before," she said.

"He may be human, but he's more dangerous than he looks," Caelus said.

"Sure he is," Batman said as the platform descended and he reached into his utility belt and withdrew several batarangs. "But so are we."

The anti-chamber was covered in long shadows. It was quiet, quiet and cold, quiet and cold and still. The only light seemed to come from a Kryptonian consul filled with those Kryptonian Crystals Barry was growing more and more curious of. There were was a viewing area above it, where what appeared to be holographic images were flashing across it.

Barry saw Bruce put a finger to his cowl, no doubt activating his night vision as the platform descended into the open air. His eyes drifted right, then left, before he whispered softly, "Flash, Wonder Woman, go."

Barry dashed off the platform, racing down the side of the walls and around the perimeter of the anti-chamber. Diana took to the air, circling around overhead, searching through the darkness for any sign of movement. Arthur, Caelus, and Bruce remained on the platform, standing around Mickelson and Day, until it reached the bottom a few moments later.

Barry dashed from dark corner to dark corner, behind every statue, chair, consol, the Speed Force lightening causing the long and dark shadows to dance wildly before he returned to the platform.

"Nothing," he said with a shrug.

"I found nothing as well," Diana said as she landed next to him.

"Then lets get to work," Bruce said, pulling several small devices out of his utility belt, and handing one to each of them.

He twisted one of the ends, and light came forth. The other's followed suit, and followed Bruce as he made his way towards the consul.

"What about Lionel?" Caelus asked.

"He's not here," Bruce replied simply.

"Shouldn't we be searching for him?" Arthur asked.

"We don't have time, we have to focus on Superman, we'll deal with Lionel later," Diana said.

Barry ran ahead to the consul and had a good chance to study it before the others. The viewing area above the crystal filled consul was an erratic mess. Light was flickering, flashing, waving and dancing throughout the viewing area, sometimes materializing into cohesive images before rapidly deteriorating into a colorful collage.

Bruce was there next, and stared at it ominously. Behind him were Mickelson, Day, and Caelus, while Arthur and Diana hung back a bit, facing the darkness, sword and trident at the ready.

"I was wrong before," A giddy Mickelson said. "This is where you have to have comic con."

Beside him, a timid Dr. Day gripped his portion of the Proto-type Phantom Projector tightly. "Um, where's the uh, the thing, the uh…the thing, the mirror thing."

"Over there," Bruce said, pointing his light over his shoulder.

The mirror was standing against one of the walls near the statue of Jor and Lara-el, Clarks parents. To Barry, it was almost disappointingly plain looking, save for the Kryptonian markings around it permitted. However, true to its description, there was a large crack running across its surface.

Mickelson and Day reached the mirror and got to work, with Arthur nearby. Barry turned back to the viewing area and frowned.

"Caelus," Bruce said. "Can you read any of this?"

Caelus looked at the viewing area and narrowed his eyes. "No," he said. "I'm actually not very fluent in Kryptonian. They were…never very trusting of my family, due to our heritage."

"If you ask me…" Barry said as an image of the Eastern seaboard materialized for a split second before melting away into waves of random light again. "…this must be what static looks like on Krypton."

Bruce's head shot up for a split second, before he dashed behind the consul. "Damn!" he shouted a moment later.

Barry was beside him a moment later, and shared the sentiment.

The consul had been ripped open, a hole seemingly blown in its backside, revealing a jumbled mess of brightly colored crystals. However, they were all thrown about carelessly.

"So that's his game," Barry said. "He damaged the consul so we can't shut down the Terraforming machines, then he split."

Bruce stood with a grunt, and stormed away from the consul. "You two," he barked at Mickelson and Day. "Is it ready."

Mickelson had assembled the pieces and Day was sitting on the floor, legs crossed, with a laptop open on his lap.

"Well its like the one up there was saying," Mickelson said.

"We need a power source," Day added

Bruce looked back towards the consul, his teeth clenched tightly beneath his cowl. Diana walked up behind him.

"You had a power source in mind, didn't you?" she asked.

"Of course I did," he snapped. "I was going to interface the Fortress' power system the Phantom Zone projector. But Lionel's seen that can't happen."

"He's been two steps ahead of us this whole time," Arthur said.

Barry zipped from behind the consul next to Bruce and Diana. "Let me try. Maybe I can generate enough kinetic energy through the Speed Force."

"Even if you were able to vibrate that fast, it would cause this whole Fortress to crumble down on top of us," Bruce said.

"Then let's take it to Central City, and the Cosmic Treadmill," Barry said.

"We don't have time, if we don't reverse the Terraforming soon, we won't be able too at all," Arthur said.

"At least we could get Superman back," Diana said.

There was a slam behind them. "Damn it!" Bruce shouted.

Silence swept over the anti-chamber. Bruce was standing over the consul, clutching his fist tightly and taking long, heavy breaths. Barry exchanged uneasy looks with Diana and Arthur, before going to Bruce.

"Hey, Wonder Woman's right," Barry said, carefully. "At least we could get Superman out of the Phantom Zone."

"Millions are going to die," Bruce said through clenched teeth.

"Then we better get…"

"There's nothing, we, can, do!" Bruce said, angrily. "He thought of everything."

Barry bit his lip as the words he was about to say slipped away from him. Bruce was one of the smartest people he knew; he always knew what to do, could always think of something. He'd never seen him give up before, never seen him act so defeated.

"He didn't think of everything," someone said behind them.

Barry turned, as did the others. It was Caelus who was standing near the consul, looking at the images trying to materialize in the viewing area.

"The power you need is here, in the Fortress. You just need a way to channel it into your projector. I can do that."

"Whoa wait," Barry said. "That's gotta be at least…well I don't know, but a lot."

"Nothing could withstand that much energy, not even you," Bruce said, his eyes narrowing beneath his cowl. "It _will _kill you."

"It might," Caelus said, regretfully yet confidently. "But I came back in time - we came back in time - too prevent death, not cause it. All this," he said, motioning above and around him. "What's happening outside, what's happening to the polar ice caps, what will happen to millions, is because of us, because of me. I need a chance to set it right."

Diana stepped before him, gazing long and hard into his eyes. "And you would be willing to die for this?" she asked.

Caelus nodded.

A few moments later, Mickelson and Day had assembled the Phantom Zone project and interfaced it with Superman's mirror. Caelus was standing ready, one hand holding a pair of wires running from the projector, his other held over a group of exposed crystals from the consul. They were glowing brightly, pulsing with a form of energy unfathomable to humans.

"You don't have to do this," Barry whispered. Bruce was standing away from the others, watching silently as every set to work. Diana and Arthur were with Mickelson and Day as they made the final preparations. "We can find another way."

Caelus swallowed, then looked to Barry. "I told you before," he said softly.

"Ok, we're all set here," Mickelson said, giving a thumbs up over his shoulder.

Caelus nodded, and Barry noticed a calm and serene feeling fall over his eyes. "I said I wasn't your enemy, Mr. Allen. And this is how I'll prove it."

He reached in and grasped one of the crystals. Barry leapt back as Caelus' entire body began to glow as the energy from the Fortress coursed through him.

Caelus shouted in agony as the energy ripped through him from the Consul into the Projector. Barry cringed, seeing the pain it was causing him, but the efforts he made to hang onto both the wires and crystals to keep the power flowing. His Kryptonian biology was allowing him to withstand this much energy; but Barry reminded himself he was only half-Kryptonian, and not nearly as strong as Clark.

"Power levels rising rapidly," Dr. Day said.

"A few more moments," Mickelson added.

Mickelson turned the device on, and it began projecting a strange light towards the mirror, which began to glow. The mirror flickered and flashed. Before, it had reflected nothing but a strange, thick, grey fog which seemed to stretch on indefinitely. But now it was different. There was something behind the glass; something hollow, empty, incomplete.

Caelus cried out again and fell to his knees. Barry turned and gasped. Caelus was barely holding on; his body nearly reached its limit. Yet he kept his hand in place, allowing the power to surge through him.

"There, we got it!" Day shouted.

The Projector emitted a bright flash, the Mirror glowed fully. Caelus released the crystals and the wires, and collapsed, where Barry dashed to his side a moment later.

"How is he?" Arthur asked, arriving at Barry's side a moment later.

Barry listened closely; Caelus' breathing was shallow, and he could only find a pulse in his neck. "We need to get him to the tower!" Barry shouted over his shoulder.

But nobody responded. Mickelson and Day were pouring over their computers; analyzing data and readings they would probably never have access too again. Diana was standing between Caelus and the Mirror, looking between them both. Bruce, meanwhile, was standing in front of the Mirror.

Although he tried to hide it, Barry could tell from his crossed arms and tense shoulders, that Bruce was worried. Again, it was a side Barry hardly ever saw. And as Caelus remained unconscious, and the Mirror glowed ominously Barry couldn't help but wonder; if Bruce was worried, should they all be worried.

**The Phantom Zone**

"Look here Cal," Lar said.

We've come back to Earth, to America, to Metropolis. Here, the world looks like a dead husk; mottled, grey, and blurry, like an old used cocoon. With my super hearing, I can still hear the people below us, but mostly only as muted mumbling as if we were underwater.

However, looking up, I can tell it must be a nice a day. I'm guessing the great ball of white above is the sun, and a few blurred blobs of grey must be clouds. There isn't many of them, which means its only a partly cloudy day, and plenty of sun is falling from the sky to the surface below

Lar flies through mass of grey buildings and streets with a familiarity of someone whose been here many times before. I'm following him closely, though reluctantly, because he's my friend, and I suppose I owe him.

He said he wanted me to see something; to see something I'd done.

"Lar," I began.

"Not too much farther," he said. "Just up ahead."

We flew into an old warehouse district. The place is full of long abandoned buildings that were once occupied by hopeful small businesses or manufacturing companies. Now, its bleak and empty; degraded over time by vandals and thugs, and only used for the kind of business you don't want anyone else to know about.

He came to halt above one of these abandoned building. It has several rows of windows, many of them broken and shattered, and a large open area of concrete with train tracks running right through it. Lar motioned me over, looking down through the open and shattered windows.

"I like to check on them once in a while," Lar said. "To see how they're doing."

"Check on who?" I asked.

He smiles and points down. "The people you've saved."

I look, and through the windows to see a man. He's sitting at a bench leaning over something. I can't see what, but a mess of flickering pale light tells me he must be welding. A moment later, the flickering stops, and the man takes off his welder's mask.

I immediately recognize him. "John Henry Irons," I said. "He helped me when Brainiac bottled Metropolis."

Lar nodded. "He used to work for the Government, for General Sam Lane. He was one of scientist on the "Steel Soldier" program."

"Yes, I remember," I said, glumly. "He was there when Lex captured me."

"And tried to torture you," Lar added.

I nod, remembering the day clearly. It was in my early days, before I'd met anyone else on the Justice League, before I even had the Kryptonian biotech suit. I had been trying to stop a run away subway filled with people, including Lois and Jimmy. I stopped the subway, but was captured at the same time, by Lex.

"At first John was just a regular scientist who'd been contracted by General Lane to create a weapon with his genius, and take home a nice paycheck for his trouble," Lar said. "He didn't know if you were really the threat Lex Luthor and General Lane claimed you were; and he didn't care either. But after he saw you save that subway, and how they tortured you, he quit on the spot."

"I guess I didn't know that," I said.

"Later, when John Corben went on his rampage using the suit he'd designed, John put on the other prototype he'd made." (All this in Action Comics: Superman and the Men of Steel).

I watched as John flipped down his welding mask and begin again. I remembered the day vividly, and found myself smiling fondly. "The first thing he did was hold up the bridge that nearly collapsed after Brainiac shrunk New Troy. Later, he uploading a virus into Corbin which shut him down. He'd never fought a day before in life."

"He's just a normal human," Lar said. "Until he puts on that suit. Then, he becomes something more. He still works along side you to help Metropolis you know." I looked at Lar, who was nodding seriously. "Not right by your side like that day, but around here," he said motioning to the warehouse district.

"He does?" I asked, skeptically.

"In his own laboratory, mostly. He doesn't work for any conglomerate now, but by himself. And when he's not putting on the Metal-O suit and fighting against urban violence, he's working with cybernetics, to build people up, not destroy them."

The flickering stopped, and John picked up the piece he'd been welding. It was shaped like an arm; a cybernetic arm that appeared almost futuristic in its design. John looked it over several times before nodding in satisfaction, and placing it in a small wooden crate.

"That must be worth a fortune," I said.

"Probably," Lar replied. "But he's going to give it to a young girl who lost her arm during the Atlantis Invasion, probably for nothing more than it would cost him to buy groceries for a week."

My mouth drops open. "How can he afford that?" I ask.

Lar shrugged. "Guess he has some benefactors and suppliers who believe in what he's doing," he said. "You see," Lar said as we watched John speed off. "You saved the city from Atlantis, and he is too, in his own _way_, with the gifts _he _has."

"He's a good man," I said.

"Sure is," Lar said. "But only after he saw _you _risk your life to save that subway, and Metropolis from Brainiac."

With John gone, Lar took off again, beckoning me to follow.

We weaved in and out the sky scrapers, towards the great grey ball I knew was the sun. I could imagine its warmth radiating against my skin, replenishing and filling me with strength. But I couldn't feel anything in the Phantom Zone.

It was mid-day, and Lar flew away from the skyscrapers and downtown sector to the quiet neighborhoods near the outskirts. Lar set himself down on the top of a local church where we could see several neighborhoods. It was - peaceful and relatively quiet, the only sounds coming from birds chirping and children playing.

Lar smiled and laughed quietly. "Ahh youth," he said blissfully. "Just content to play and pretend, a simple life, simple and innocent."

"I thought the youth of this generation was wasting its time in front of TV's and computers," I said, another smile creeping onto my face. I don't get to see a lot of kids playing; not with my job as a reporter and my life as Superman. My smile fades however as I notice how they children are playing They were running around as kids do, yelling and screaming, some with friends in their backyards, some on the local playground, and some by themselves, or perhaps with their imaginary friends.

Many of them had towels tied around their necks, and were running around with their arms in front of them, making strange noises that sounded like airplanes diving though the sky.

"Maybe some of them do, but not here," Lar said, shrugging. Then, he nodded towards a pair of kids who were climbing through a shabby tree fort. "Listen closely Cal."

I cocked an eyebrow, but did as he said. I strained my hearing, fought through the muffled noises of the Phantom Zone, and focused on the playful bantering of the children below.

"Faster than a speeding bullet!" one shouted, before taking off and running as fast as he could through his yard.

"I can leap tall buildings in a single bound!" shouted another from atop the roof of his tree fort.

"I came from out there…" shouted another, pointing to the sky above. "…to save the world, again, and again, and again, and again!"

I bit my lip and looked away. "Lar…"

"Did you ever play as a kid? You know, in your parents fields, all alone."

Despite myself, I crack half a smile. "Yeah," I said, shaking my head slightly. "I use to pretend I was a galaxy traveling rebel space pilot with a large furry -thing- as a side-kick. That was my favorite movie, you know…"

"Yeah I know the one, I've seen plenty of people watching it," Lar said, laughing. Then, more seriously, "So why did you pretend to be him?"

I sigh, looking back at the kids. "I don't know, he was brave, bold, heroic I guess."

"Mhmm," Lar said. "They're out here all the time you know, pretending to be you."

I sighed and hoped Lar would stop right there. He didn't. He laughed loudly then, and said, "Alright, alright. Ma and Pa Kent hammered that whole modesty thing into you pretty hard, didn't they. Let's just move on then."

"I don't think I need to see any…"

"Just one more," he said, lifting himself into the air. "I promise."

I followed, but as Lar began heading back towards the city, I stole one more glance at the kids. I used to love playing as a kid back home, in the fields, by myself. I could pretend I was anywhere, and be anyone, and do anything. It was really one of the few times and places I felt I didn't have to be careful, I didn't have to hold back, and for just a few moments, in a tiny place, in an otherwise lonely childhood, I could just…be me.

One of the kids stands on the roof of his tree house, a red towel tied around his neck blowing softly in the wind. He stands tall, puts his hands on his hips, and as I fly farther away, I hear him shout, "When I grow up, I'm gonna be SUPERMAN!"

Moments later, we were back in the city which was busy and bustling. The sounds of kids playing were replaced by the muffled sounds of car horns, train whistles, brakes squealing, and a quiet hum of people chatting.

"I could show you endless amounts of people you've saved over the years," Lar said. "Some of them are John Henry Irons, and decided to live a life worth saving. Other's, not so much. But I'm not trying to show you a score board or pump your ego."

He flew close to the ground, close to the people. Not the big shot executives, quick talking politicians, important figure heads, or famous athletes and musicians; just people. We're close enough that I can see the expressions on their faces and hear them talking either to each other or on their cell phones. It seems strange to me, and then I realize I'm flying closer to them now, as a phantom, than I ever allow myself too normally.

"I've found most people on Earth don't have the luxury to worry too much about the latest international incident, whose with who in the world of the rich and famous, or even scandals of your worlds leaders, " Lar said. "They worry about the grades their kids are getting in school, the price of gas, their retirement savings, and if they'll still have a job next week.

"They have to get by; month to month, week to week, day to day, doing the best they can to make the most of what's been put in front of them. The world can feel pretty big sometimes; big, and overwhelming."

We stop outside a small, shabby, but well kept apartment. Lar settles himself in front of the balcony, and I drift in beside him.

"The work day is almost over," Lar said. "She should be out in a moment or so I'm sure."

"She?"

The glass door slides open, and a woman walks out. She's dressed in more casual clothing, with ripped jeans and a t-shirt with some bands name on it. She looks tired, but happy, setting a satchel bag down on a patio chair and sitting in the one beside it where she can stare off into the city. Her hair is dark, but streaked with several shades of purple and pink. And when she pulls it back to put it in a pony tail, I tilt my head curiously

"Recognize her?" Lar asked.

"I …maybe…" I said.

"A few years ago she was a young college student, a troubled college student," Lar said, seriously. "One day, when you were nearby, she was on the phone with her therapist when…"

"She thought her therapist had hung up on her," I said, remembering now( All-Star Superman). "Her name is Regan, and she thought…"

"She was going to jump, Cal," Lar said, seriously. "But she didn't. She didn't because you found her that day. And now, she's finished college and is working as a youth councilor. Mostly, she goes out of her way to talk to people who are struggling in the same way she was. Regan finds people looking over the edge, like she did, and you know what she tells them?"

Regan took a sip of her coffee and brushed a stand of hair which had fallen in front of her eyebrow pierced eyes. She looks the same today as she did then except for… well I don't know how to describe it, except maybe as an aura.

"She tells them the same thing you told her," Lar finished.

I glance to Lar, then back to her. I remember Regan, but not very well. I remember hearing her as she was talking on her phone to her therapist. As Lar said, she thought her Therapist no longer cared about her, had abandoned her. I'd found Regan on a rooftop, staring at the busy streets far below. She was scared in so many ways. Scared to walk out her front door, scared to look at her homework, scared to call her mom and dad.

"What did I tell her?" I ask Lar.

"Something simple," he said. "First, you told her her therapist had actually been delayed. Then, you told her its never as bad as it seems, and that she's stronger than she believed."

I remembered fully then. I didn't catch Regan out of the air, I didn't pull her back from the ledge. I just talked to her.

"She felt so small and insignificant that she couldn't believe you came to her on that ledge," Lar said. "She couldn't believe you, who has the powers of a god, would take the time to just be a regular person, and talk to such a small and insignificant person like her.

"You didn't have to punch out a bad guy, melt someone's face, or contain an explosion. You only had to show her that the world isn't as big as we sometimes imagine, we're never as small as might think, and we all have the strength of a Superman."

A timer from inside beeped, and Regan folded up her newspaper and went back inside.

"Do you get it now Cal?" Lar asked.

I sighed and bite my lip. "I'm really happy John and Regan are doing something good with their lives, helping other people," I said. "But what are their good deeds worth against Billions dying? What if the best thing, for the most amount of people, is for me to leave?"

Lar shook his head, and lifted himself into the air again.

"You can sit there and stare at a cosmic scale all you want," he said. "But there's always going to be evil in the world, evil which threatens life."

"I know," I said as we flew past the city limits and out into the country side. "But the future Sherina comes from is easily prevented. All I have to do is remove myself, and it never happens. Earth would be safer, and billions who are destined to die will live."

"Sure, until Brainiac comes back," Lar said, seriously. "Or Darkseid, Mongul, Zod, the Multitude, or Rao knows how many other galactic threats are out there you don't even know about yet.

"Yes, sometimes our good intentions have terrible outcomes," he continued. "But that's the price of free will. Nobody is omniscient, nobody can tell you with absolute certainty what consequences come with our decisions, and nobody has the benefit of looking into the future and seeing the results of their actions.

"But in this case, I do," I retorted.

"But you can't look into the future and see the consequences of you remaining here," Lar shot back. "Sure, you could remain here forever, never having to make another decision for the rest of your existence. But wouldn't that be a waist of your abilities?"

We were soaring across the American heartland then. Endless of fields of gold and green stretched for miles and miles, interrupted only by the occasional road or farm. Out here, there's nothing to hear but the soft blowing of the wind, which sounds the same in the Phantom Zone.

"If I go back, I have to restore Kandor," I said. "Now that I know its possible, I can't just leave them there. They have a right to live out their lives as well, and I'm the one the responsibility falls too."

Lar shrugged. "You're right, but the people of Kandor have been in that bottle for a very long time, and can stay there for a very long time to come."

Lar veered northwestward then, and soon we were out over the ocean. "Earth isn't ready for Kandor, that's why Sherina's future occurs. Until they are ready, her future is possible."

"But one day they will be ready," he said. "I'm sure of it."

I smirk. "I thought you said we couldn't look into the future?"

Lar shrugged. "We can't, but look at the signs around you. Humanity is constantly changing; gradually, little by little, through triumphs and tragedies, falling only to pick themselves up again."

I cock an eyebrow, and Lar nods.

"Nobody simply changes. Nobody wakes up one day and suddenly finds themselves enlightened," he said. "They have to look both outwards and in. They have to reach out and grasp onto that which they can be, then bring it within and know and believe in their hearts and minds what their potential is."

He stops then, just before we're about to cross into the northern arctic zone. Behind us, the ocean is rolling softly, and I can tell it's a bright day by the way the sun is glinting off surface. But my eyes are drawn ahead. Ahead, there is nothing but blackness. A rolling, sweltering kind of blackness that seems to be growing.

"This is a beautiful world Cal, and right now, it needs you."

"What's happening up there?" I asked, looking ahead.

"Come on," he said. "I'll show you."

He dashed ahead, and I followed quickly. We flew through dark clouds which caused the grey matter of the Phantom Zone too became even murkier. I began to hear soft whipping and spattering noises, which I guessed were heavy winds along with thunder and lightening. There was soft pattering below which was hail. We were flying through a storm, a fierce storm.

We passed over several small Eskimo villages where the people had all gathered inside. They would be safe for now, but not for much longer if this storm continued to build.

It took some time before we reached a clearing in the winds and clouds, a place I guess was the eye of the storm. The murkiness decreased, and my eyes flew open wide. We had come to my Fortress.

"What's happening?" I shouted. Though we were in the eye of the storm, the wind was still blowing fiercely, and even as phantoms, we had to shout to hear each other.

"One of the others who came from the future," Lar said. "He's using the Fortress to melt the polar ice caps."

"What!" I shouted. "How?! Sherina…"

"Sherina doesn't know," Lar said. "I think this one is acting on his own." We flew closer, hovering just above the tallest spires. "Cal," he said. "If those polar ice caps melt, millions are going to die."

We passed through the walls of the Fortress into the Anti-chamber. There, I saw my friends. Diana, Arthur, and Bruce, and a few others I didn't recognize. Two were standing over a lap top, and another was screaming in agony as held onto some wires connected to a device. His other hand was placed on my consul.

"What's he doing?" I asked, alarmed.

Lar nodded. "I think they're trying to open a doorway, for you."

"But that much energy could kill him!"

"They need you," Lar said.

The others were keeping their distance, except for Bruce, who was standing very close to the mirror. I watched intently as the one channeling the power suddenly collapses, and the mirror ignites. A bright light appeared on our side then, like a tear through reality itself.

On the other side, I can see with clarity, color, and depth. I can also see Bruce, and I back away.

"Cal…" Lar said.

"I can't go back," I said. "Not if there's even the tinniest risk Sherina's future could occur."

"If you don't go back, millions are going to die, today!" Lar said.

My frustration boiled over. "Lar it's not that simple!" I shouted.

"No, its not," Lar said. "It's never been simple and it never will be. You'll never be able to save everyone, and you'll never please everyone. But you can't quit, you can't walk away."

"Then what should I do?" I asked, my chest tightening.

"Show them Cal, Clark," he said. "The politicians tells them what they _want _them to be, a god tells them what they _have _to be. But a hero is different; a hero _shows _people what they _can _be."

I heard a whisper then; a whisper from the other side, from Bruce.

_Come on Clark. _He was whispering, whispering knowing only I could hear. _We… we need you. I… need you._

I sighed then, and felt as though a heavy burden was falling on my shoulders. Lar was right, I couldn't run. I have to go back, I have to fix what's been done by my Fortress, my home. I still don't have an answer, I'm not sure if I ever will. But right now, there are millions who need me, millions who only I can help. I can't turn my back them.

"Thank you Lar," I said, turning to my friend once more. He nodded simply, but he wasn't smiling anymore.

"You're going back?" he asked.

I nodded, tensely. "I promise I'll find a cure for you soon," I said, just before turning to the rift.

"Don't worry about me," he said. "I have all the time in the world, and they need you more than I do right now."

I turn to exchange one final nod, but something catches my hearing. It's muffled and dull, but unmistakable, even through the thunder and wind outside, and could only belong to one source. From the gradual increase in volume, I know its heading towards the Fortress.

Without exchanging a final goodbye, I dash through the rift.

**Metropolis**

Lex stared with his hands folded behind his back at the viewing screen. He was humming softly to himself, aware of the numerous sets of eyes piercing into him from behind. However, they were not his concern at the moment, the viewing screen was.

The screen was showing the projected outcomes of the Polar Ice caps melting at their current rate. Judging by the continually swelling of deep red across the coasts of six out of the seven world continents, global disaster was imminent.

Lex had been staring for quiet some time, taking his time, and calculating how long it would take before disaster would become irreversible. It had only taken about ten minutes for General Lane's impatience to finally win over.

"Damn it Lex!" he shouted, slamming a fist into the table in front of him. "You're wasting our time. I thought you said…"

"Michelangelo took four years to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, the great Sphinx of Giza took over ten years to build, and it took Tolkien the better part of fifteen years to write the Lord of the Rings," Lex said, calmly.

"I'm fascinated you have the time to know that, but we don't have…"

"My point is…" Lex said, raising his voice slightly. "…have patience!"

"You said you could help!"

"And I can, and I will," Lex replied. "Perhaps if I'd been at your side these last five years where I belonged instead of being cooped up in a rat's cage, we wouldn't be in this position."

General Lane grunted. "I did everything I could."

Lex turned and smiled. "I', sure you did, General. Though I would have appreciated your company from time to time to know I'd had your support. But yet here we are," Lex said, turning back to the viewing screen. "And unfortunately one does not simply press a key on a keyboard to turn off Kryptonian technology. It takes a bit more than that."

In the monitor's reflection, Lex could see the tension rise. Good. Reaching into his jacket, Lex patted the device there. It was the last gift Lionel had given him, and perhaps the greatest.

The device was, to put it crudely, a remote control. With it, Lex could simply press a switch, and through a signal sent through a subspace channel no technology on Earth could detect, the Terraforming engines would shut down.

The trick now was to wait for the right moment for maximum impact.

That, and there was one more variable Lex wanted to see play out.

As if on que, Lex heard a door open behind him. An angry voice accompanied the chorus of steady footsteps as several people filed into the room.

"General Sam Lane!" said one, particularly irritating voice. Through the reflection, Lex could see the General roll his eyes before turning around.

"Anthony Cartwright," Lane said, in a rather monotone voice. "What are you doing here?"

"I've been sent to ensure you're following your orders," Cartwright replied, tensly.

Lex smirked and contented himself to watch this scene play out. He'd only heard of this Cartwright character recently, a new player in Washington who preferred pulling the strings from behind the curtain rather than clear out in the open.

"I have my orders, and we are prepared to follow them," Lane said. "But we will follow them at my discretion…"

"Why are you hesitating?!" Cartwright said, placing his hands on his hips and sticking his chest out. "I thought you were fully committed to Operation Arctic Storm."

"I am," Lane replied. "But only as a last resort, and with approval from the President."

Cartwright's face turned red and he nearly shouted. "We are at the last resort! We have no way of stopping this Terraforming process, so we must destroy it. Furthermore, our satellites were able to see the rest of the Justice League enter the Fortress before they lost visual…"

"So you think you can take them all out in one shot, huh," General Lane said.

"And you know as well as I do the President must be kept out of this," Cartwright continued. "He can't be seen giving direct approval to this kind of strike. It must seem like a…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, it has to appear like a preplanned contingency so he can deny any involvement," Lane replied. "It must be so convenient to have a military to take the fall for you."

Cartwright sneered. "I'm glad you fully understand the situation them, General," he said snidely. "Now, are you…"

"What exactly is this - Operation Arctic Storm - you speak of?" Lex said, turning slowly to face them.

By the look on Cartwright's face, Lex knew Cartwright must not have noticed he was there. The draining color told Lex he wasn't too happy about it, either. Lex smirked, knowing for the moment at least, he had the upper hand.

Cartwright stumbled slightly. "I'm not… that's classified, and you're suppose to be in prison."

"Classified," Lex repeated, in feign mockery. "Listen …uh, you…" Lex said with a dismissive hand gesture. "I was here when this facility was built, and I know about the two large packages kept in the sublevels. Now, I'm guessing whatever your Arctic Storm operation is involves them, right?"

A vein popped on Cartwright's forehead as his color returned, then became a shade of red. He pointed a finger at Lex's chest. "That is…" he began through clenched teeth.

"Yes, they are," General Lane said, grabbing Cartwright's outstretched arm and throwing it down. "Operation Arctic Storm involves firing a 2-ton nuclear warhead at Superman's Fortress of Solitude, if it should ever become a threat."

"General!" Cartwright shouted.

Lex cocked a cynical eyebrow. But inside he was leaping for joy at the opportunity this presented.

"So, you want to destroy the Fortress of Solitude?" Lex asked.

Cartwright's neck veins began to bulge too bulging. "As the General said, only as a last resort. We'd like too…"

"They want to see if Superman would allow them too inspect the Fortress first," Lane said, rolling his eyes.

Lex laughed. "Really? You think you can either make the most powerful being on the planet show you his private home, or you think you can destroy it. If that's so, then that only leaves me with one conclusion."

Cartwright stopped. "What?"

"That you're an idiot," Lex said, turning back to the viewing screen.

In the reflection, Lex saw Cartwright clench his fists. He smiled. This couldn't have been going any better.

Lionel had a good plan to bring glory to his family they rightfully deserved, but he didn't know the best way to accomplish it. Lex however, did. If Lex was going to not only stop the impending disaster and show the world the danger of Superman, he needed to receive credit for it as well. And to do that, he had to work within the system.

Right now, Lex wasn't a part of the system. In fact, the system had declared him a criminal, an evil criminal, as if people could be classified as easily as night and day. That was five years ago though, and as with everything in politics, the pendulum had swung dramatically since. The honey moon was over with the meta-human's, and an opening had been created.

Lex would have to be taken in by the Government, and he would do so by proving himself an asset. Like all things, they would try to control him, as they tried to control the Meta-humans before, and Lex was content to allow them to believe they were in control.

It would all be worth it in the end. The world would finally see he'd been right all along, and would look to him for leadership in the coming years and inevitable conflicts with meta-humans.

"General Lane," Cartwright said. "We don't have time to waste. I order you to arrest this man and proceed with Operation Arctic Storm as were your original orders."

"Listen Cartwright, I don't take orders from you," Lane replied, angrily.

Lex's smile grew from ear to ear. The opportunity had presented itself, just as he knew it would.

"No wait General, perhaps he's right," Lex said, turning. They both stopped and looked at him intently. "A nuclear strike won't do you any good, but it'll make a good distraction."

The General nodded slowly in understanding. Cartwright glanced between them both.

"In fact," Lex said, turning back to the viewing screen. "If they're all up there, fire them both."


End file.
